tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51001297708988356472024-02-08T00:14:17.926-06:00Johnny Jay SaysRamblings and observations about sci fi, fantasy and whatever I feel like carrying on aboutUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger498125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-33634557238966263562020-01-22T16:53:00.001-06:002020-10-11T16:54:53.069-05:00Sci Fi Guilty Pleasures: Flash Gordon (1980 Movie)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/mn/search/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=flash%20gordon&linkCode=ur2&tag=axiomsedgesci-20&url=search-alias%3Dmovies-tv" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzfEGV5pyPBFtQs6sOACMCRwM1kUVMJSoNZ2vu9Euh-8A235kbOhwNroEI6BA079fPoE8_-zvWA-wx6JZ4n3p3GA7z3mlAFO7JYARBhIDtW4HJNed1cAyOUelIqFTuY3b3ErWjGtjAdU/s1600/flash-gordon-1980-poster.jpg" /></a></div>
<b>What Is It?</b> In 1980, just as the sci fi boom in the cinemas was kicking into high gear, this big budget adaptation of the comic strip/movie serial hero Flash Gordon hit theaters and reinvented the character for the Blockbuster Era. All of the familiar characters of the Gordon canon came along as well including Dale Arden, Dr. Zarkov, Ming the Merciless, Prince Barin, and of course the sultry Princess Aura stealing the show with a steamy performance by Ornella Muti. And to cap it all off, the movie sported a driving soundtrack by rock superstars Queen whose over-the-top music added just the right camp flourish to this tongue-in-cheek updating of the Flash Gordon mythos. <br />
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<b>Why It's a Guilty Pleasure:</b> Even though this movie did not quite grab audiences the same way as the sci fi blockbusters that preceded it like <i><b>Star Wars</b></i>, <i><b>Close Encounters of the Third Kind</b></i>, <i><b>Superman</b></i>, and <i><b>Alien</b></i>, it still stands out as a camp classic that never took itself too seriously and that actually reveled in its own cheesiness.<br />
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<b>The Skinny:</b> The <i><b>Star Wars</b></i> movies and <i><b>Raiders of the Lost Ark</b></i> (which would come out in 1981) recaptured the spirit of the old movie serials of the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s and added the production values that those films never had. But <i><b>Flash Gordon</b></i> actually went <i>straight</i> back to those roots and redid one of the original sci fi heroes on a blockbuster budget. It stayed close to much of the camp appeal of the original, though, and played it much more tongue-in-cheek than <i><b>Star Wars</b></i>, <i><b>Raiders of the Lost Ark</b></i>, or other films that drew heavily on early sci fi cinema. It's not a great movie, but <i><b>Flash Gordon</b></i> does just manage to escape the mind-numbing category (unlike the <i><b>Buck Rogers</b></i> TV series that hit the airwaves a year prior), in part because of its self-mocking attitude and in part because of the choice performances of all but the hero and heroine (with outstanding reads by veterans like Max Von Sydow, Brian Blessed, and Topol). Not that Sam Jones or Melody Anderson did a <i>bad</i> job with Flash and Dale, they just had the unfortunate position of playing straight man/woman to all the more colorful alien characters (and the madcap Dr. Zarkov too). But the cast in total is impeccable, each perfectly suited to their roles and each fully aware that they were not trying to deliver Shakespeare or Dickens or Tolstoy with this movie, just an entertaining bit of sci fi fun. Don’t go looking to <i><b>Flash Gordon</b></i> for high-brow, though-provoking science fiction. Just take it for the enjoyable bit of fluff it is, and you will find that it goes down quite easy.<br />
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<b>Notable Stars:</b> Sam Jones (Flash Gordon), Max von Sydow (Ming), Brian Blessed (Prince Vultan), Ornella Muti (Princess Aura), Timothy Dalton (Prince Barin)<br />
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<b>Interesting Facts:</b> Before beginning on <i><b>Star Wars</b></i>, George Lucas had originally wanted to remake <i><b>Flash Gordon</b></i>, but could not secure the license for the property. Thus, he ended up creating his own universe, but one that drew much inspiration from Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, and many other sources.<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-27312837639839281262020-01-10T09:10:00.000-06:002020-10-11T16:48:40.531-05:00Sci Fi Genre Gems: E-Man (1970’s Comic Book Series)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetWdZ1pIMtrlDxGcREwszhYyq7ZH3BDwHcirwqcpdgqHPI450gDPL538GM-5nDkIzPvwP4Yx2BodB6KRsKlB5SvZpCKBBetzEGoTcpNLo3FLozgQ6OW93hdGXkxKloP1jEOf7VINynSms/s1600/E-Man-Charlton-Bullseye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetWdZ1pIMtrlDxGcREwszhYyq7ZH3BDwHcirwqcpdgqHPI450gDPL538GM-5nDkIzPvwP4Yx2BodB6KRsKlB5SvZpCKBBetzEGoTcpNLo3FLozgQ6OW93hdGXkxKloP1jEOf7VINynSms/s320/E-Man-Charlton-Bullseye.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
<b>What Is It?</b> In this short-lived series from Charlton Comics, we are introduced to the superhero E-Man, a sentient being of pure energy created out of a super-nova. This being traveled through the galaxy and came in contact with Earth, where he meets the human Nova Kane and decides to take human form himself as a superhero. The two then set off on action-packed adventures fighting villains that threaten the planet.<br />
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<b>Why Does It Stand Out?</b> This whimsical little series hit the stands at a time before superheroes had gone dark and grim and it delivered a fun set of comic book tales with a sci fi bent.<br />
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<b>The Skinny:</b> Co-creator Nicola Cuti had the idea of creating a superhero similar to the whimsical Golden Age character Plastic Man, and artist Joe Staton helped bring to life this modern hero with a sense of fun. The transformable E-Man would morph into any of a numbers of shapes as needed, not dissimilar from his Golden Age predecessor. But it was the banter between E-Man and his opponents as well as side kick / partner Nova Kane (she would later become a superhero herself) that made this strip so much fun. Unlike the revivals of this character that would appear in the 80’s and 90’s, this series was less interested in parody, and more in just telling a good fun tale. <br />
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It would also introduce the private eye character Mike Mauser who would later get his own series, plus it also had regular backup stories that highlighted tryout characters for Charlton. Steve Ditko’s Mr. A-like character Killjoy showed up in two issues and John Byrne’s Rog 2000 also had several appearances. Unfortunately, <b><i>E-Man</i></b> would only last for ten issues in its original run. The sales for the book were not great and the publisher decided to cancel the series, though the character would have a final appearance from its original creative team in the fourth issue of the <b><i>Charlton Bullseye</i></b> fanzine.<br />
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E-Man would live on in the decades that followed with several revivals at other publishers, but in my opinion those never quite matched up its original run that was quirky and funny and just trying to tell some good fun comic book tales. The first ten issues have yet to be collected in a trade paperback, but they recently appeared in eBook format available through <a href="http://amzn.to/1tw88f3">Amazon.com</a> and <a href="https://www.comixology.com/E-Man-The-Early-Years/digital-comic/342770?ref=c2VhcmNoL2luZGV4L2Rlc2t0b3Avc2xpZGVyTGlzdC9pdGVtU2xpZGVy">Comixology</a>. You can also find the back issues pretty easily and you won't have to spend an arm and a leg on them.<br />
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<b>Did You Know?</b> Joe Staton based E-Man’s face on James Bond actor Roger Moore which he described as “charming and heroic looking, but kind of generic”.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-20282132939096779712019-12-28T10:04:00.000-06:002020-10-11T16:45:21.509-05:00Must-Watch Sci Fi Movies: Plant of the Apes (1968)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Directed By:</b> Franklin J. Schaffner<br />
<b>Produced By:</b> Arthur P. Jacobs<br />
<b>Written By:</b> Michael Wilson, Rod Serling<br />
<b>Starring:</b> Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Maurice Evans, Kim Hunter, Linda Harrison<br />
<b>Original Release:</b> 1968<br />
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<b>Rating:</b> 4 ½ out of 5 Stars<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntrrSY0tjxJAkVPhSfwWoRxpLELsxaWEWtk9clhD8WHqwnqgpPP4BGlpgFAVPuS_RroWudhW2MFPoRUNhyphenhyphen_fnD4J4DW9bixeSKkrT7axbA3bbxVegw5S7NLUqgU1Gcs_sP99XlhezKv1m/s1600/planet-of-the-apes-1968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntrrSY0tjxJAkVPhSfwWoRxpLELsxaWEWtk9clhD8WHqwnqgpPP4BGlpgFAVPuS_RroWudhW2MFPoRUNhyphenhyphen_fnD4J4DW9bixeSKkrT7axbA3bbxVegw5S7NLUqgU1Gcs_sP99XlhezKv1m/s320/planet-of-the-apes-1968.jpg" width="234" /></a></div>
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<b>Synopsis:</b> A deep space mission from Earth traveling at near light speed crashes on a distant planet and three of the four crew members manage to escape before the ship sinks into the sea. The survivors, led by George Taylor (Charlton Heston), begin to explore what looks like a barren, desolate planet, but they eventually discover plentiful forests and a lower order of humans who do not have the ability to speak. But then the astronauts find that these are not the dominate species on the planet as they come face to face with intelligent, talking apes. Taylor is captured and at first studied by the chimpanzee Zira (Kim Hunter), but the orangutan Dr. Zaius (Maurice Evans) considers this talking human to be an abomination and wants to have him destroyed. Taylor, on the other hand, has plans to show them who the dominant species <i>should be</i>, but first he must face the truth of an unexpected secret this planet of apes holds.<br />
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<b>Why It’s a Must-Watch Movie:</b> This film provided another step in the maturation of science fiction cinema as it offered an engaging tale of evolution apparently gone awry that had high production values and that also offered some biting social commentary.<br />
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<b>Review/Commentary:</b> 1968’s <b><i>Planet of the Apes</i></b> is an important milestone for science fiction movies for several reasons. For one, the producers (much like Kubrick did with <b><i>2001: A Space Odyssey</i></b>) approached the movie with the intent of making a <i>serious</i> film with broad appeal unlike the exploitive B-Movie cheapies typical of the genre at that time. It also had high production values (for its day) and succeeded in creating believable human-like apes that never looked like just actors in gorilla suits. Because of this, the movie proved a huge success at the Box Office, giving sci fi one of its highest grossing films up to that point. In addition, it laid the groundwork for the blockbuster franchise as it would have four sequels, spin-off two TV series, and go through two reboots in the 21st century. <br />
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Jaded movie-goers of today--over-gorged on the CGI-bloated outpouring from the big studios--may find <b><i>Planet of the Apes</i></b> a bit quaint, but the fact is that movie was very much the science fiction blockbuster of its time. It may not have relied heavily on sfx scenes, but it’s production values were first rate for the 60’s and it manages to seamlessly bring to life its world run by the apes. That’s partly attributed to the magnificent sets of “ape city” (really more of a village), but mostly to the first class make-up work on the apes. True, the CGI of the recent/y rebooted <b><i>Planet of the Apes</i></b> films delivers simians that look more ape-like, but personally I much prefer the ones from the original movie series. They represented more of a cross between humans and apes and a logical next evolutionary step. And the makeup was perfectly executed and has since become iconic among movie creatures. Give me the real thing over CGI any day.<br />
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The movie itself has worked its way into our popular culture, and that’s because it managed to hit a nerve at the time it came out, and its message still resonates today. The movie didn’t just give us a simplistic “apes vs. humans” scenario, it used its premise to explore some driving social issues of its day (that still remain relevant today). Not only do we get the fall of humans as another species leap-frogs us on the evolutionary scale, the script uses the conflicts within the ape society to address issues that we ourselves struggle with. It looks at the conflicts between religion and science and the attempts of society’s leaders to manipulate the truth to maintain the status quo. <b><i>Planet of the Apes</i></b> does what the best examples of science fiction do by using its fantastic elements to offer a mirror to our own world and struggles. Not surprisingly (especially considered that gut-wrenching twist ending), the original script was penned by Rod Serling. The final version made many changes to what he originally wrote, but mostly to keep costs down (he had the apes living in a technological society similar to Pierre Boulle’s original novel). But most importantly, the ending from Serling’s script (which hearkened back to the <b><i>Twilight Zone</i></b> style twist-endings) still survived into the final version that was filmed.<br />
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<b><i>Planet of the Apes</i></b> also benefitted from outstanding performances from its rather talented cast of actors. Performing through that makeup would be difficult for any actor, but the main ape characters all came alive with first-rate acting from the likes of Roddy McDowell, Kim Hunter, and Maurice Evans. It’s almost as if the makeup liberated them and energized their performances. And then there’s Charlton Heston with the lead delivering his usual bravado. His Taylor displays a palpable arrogance and almost dismissive attitude toward the apes whom he considers an example of evolution gone wrong. But this makes the ending of the film all the more poignant as he is faced with a grim reality that delivers an Earth-shattering wakeup call (literally).<br />
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I should note, though, that this movie has one glaring flaw to it that some may not be able to overlook and that could impact how highly they rank it compared to other sci fi films: How is it that Taylor never questions the fact that these apes speak English, even though--from his perspective--they are living on a planet allegedly light years from Earth? The fact that they could speak alone was definitely shock enough, but shouldn’t he have made some connection when they were speaking the same language as him with practically no variation in dialect? Perhaps we can extend some artistic license here and just appreciate that Hollywood produced an otherwise well-made science fiction film at that time. But it would have been nice if they had addressed that better (in the novel, the human character learns the language of the apes), and I’m guessing there are some fans out there that dock this movie one or two stars on that fact alone.<br />
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Despite this flaw, <b><i>Planet of the Apes</i></b> is an important science fiction movie and one of the absolute best examples of the genre on film. Its production values were top-notch at the time it came out and still stand up pretty well today. And its story is timeless and will continue to resonate with coming generations for its many messages and its shocking ending.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GC0WZ2I/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00GC0WZ2I&linkCode=as2&tag=axiomsedgesci-20" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="alignright" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTlLwfxXcqQEGTEsaqxyt7GhYhyphenhyphenPPqIfIzxh8js2wfdhCYSNe4Y0XVhb4cUlgOv-pjIpraP5MDgfaK66fhd_Sznv34BbBoz6LllzZNsBQNeAKmHAe7SNBPaDl1esYsmgbxgk3BhEnJYFBm/s320/Covers_Must_Watch_Sci_Fi.jpg" style="border: 0px none;" width="240" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GC0WZ2I/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00GC0WZ2I&linkCode=as2&tag=axiomsedgesci-20"><b>25 Must-Watch Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies</b> </a></div>
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So many science fiction and fantasy movies and so little time. <b><i>Metropolis</i></b>, <b><i>King Kong</i></b>, <b><i>War of the Worlds</i></b>, <b><i>Fantastic Voyage</i></b>, <b><i>Star Wars</i></b>, <b><i>The Terminator</i></b>, <b><i>The Matrix</i></b>, <b><i>Lord of the Rings</i></b>, <b><i>Inception</i></b> . . . <b><i>Plan 9 From Outer Space</i></b> . . . and so many, many more. Where to start and which ones to watch? Well that's what this book is here to help you with. It may not cover <i>all</i> science fiction movies, and not even all of those mentioned above, but it gives you a heck of a good start starting point. This book begins with 1927’s <i><b>Metropolis</b></i> and then treks through 24 more genre films ending with 2009's <i><b>Moon</b></i> to give you an extensive look at some of the best of the best of science fiction and fantasy cinema. Each entry includes a synopsis, review/commentary, cast and crew information, as well as a few nuggets of tidbits and trivia relating to the films. Whether you are new to the genre and trying to figure out where to get started or a grizzled veteran who has logged many hours in the cinema watching sci fi, <i><b>25 Must Watch Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies</b></i> is sure to entertain. And even if you have already seen the movies covered in the book, there's a good chance you could walk away knowing a little bit (or maybe even a lot) more about these films than you did previously.<br />
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A great primer for science fiction and fantasy cinema and a fun read as well!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GC0WZ2I/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00GC0WZ2I&linkCode=as2&tag=axiomsedgesci-20"><b>Available now on Kindle from Amazon.com. </b></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-81171561370057183862019-12-15T14:07:00.000-06:002020-10-11T16:43:54.826-05:00The Anti-Blockbusters: Jerome Bixby's The Man From Earth<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<strong>Rating:</strong> 5 out of 5 Stars (Highest Rating)<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000UYX4Q8?ie=UTF8&tag=axiomsedgesci-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000UYX4Q8" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Jerome Bixby's The Man from Earth" border="0" class="alignright" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41oxtUGqjlL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" height="320" id="prodImage" style="border: 0pt none;" width="320" /></a>Would you believe me if I told you there is an excellent science fiction, nay s<em>peculative</em> Fiction, movie out there with absolutely no special effects and which involves nothing more than people sitting around and talking? Well I’m telling you it’s true, and <em><strong>The Man from Earth</strong></em> is that movie.<br />
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The script for this film came from the late Jerome Bixby who dictated its final pages from his deathbed to his son Emerson Bixby. Some may recognize Jerome Bixby as a science fiction writer who penned many short stories in the genre and who also wrote several <em><strong>Star Trek: TOS</strong></em> episodes ("Requiem for Methuselah", "Day of the Dove", "By Any Other Name", "Mirror, Mirror"), had one of his short stories adapted into the infamous "It's a Good Life" <em><strong>Twilight Zone</strong></em> episode, and who co-wrote the story for <em><strong>The Fantastic Voyage</strong></em>. Thus, this movie has some pedigree from a veteran of the genre who knew how to write Science Fiction in the days when writers could not always rely on special effects to carry the story.<br />
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The premise for <em><strong>The Man from Earth</strong></em> is simple: a university professor, John Oldman, is departing from his job and he gathers several of his most trusted colleagues to tell them that he has lived since the days of Cro-Magnon man, 14,000 years past. Some are intrigued by his claim while others find it ludicrous, and the movie documents their conversations—and knock-down, drag-out arguments—over one night’s time. That’s it. No monsters, aliens, space travel, time machines, explosions, or any of the other standards that you would expect from a Science Fiction movie. Just talking and the back-and-forth exchange of ideas, theories, and speculations.<br />
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Sound like a snooze fest? That’s exactly what it’s <em>not</em>. The movie grabs you almost right away with its intriguing premise which you may be skeptical about at first, but that still draws you in. And that’s exactly the way the other characters in the movie feel, and they help propel the action forward as they mirror the viewer’s inner conflicts over John Oldman’s claims that he has lived over fourteen millennia. The top-notch cast aids in keeping the movie lively as well. There are several faces among the actors that should be familiar to science fiction and fantasy fans including William Katt (Ralph Hinkley from <em><strong>The Greatest American Hero</strong></em>), John Billingsley (Dr. Phlox from <em><strong>Star Trek: Enterprise</strong></em>), Tony Todd (a slew of supporting and guest appearances in movies and television, particularly in the <em><strong>Star Trek</strong></em> revivals), and Richard Riehle (also a frequent guest star, especially across several of the <em><strong>Star Trek</strong></em> shows, as well as Tom Smykowski from <em><strong>Office Space</strong></em>). The other characters at first go along with John’s “what-if” scenario because they believe they are indulging him as he works out the concept of a potential novel. As the night progresses, some start to become more invested in his assertion while others get impatient with his line of reasoning. Then, the movie throw’s us a curve (<b>WARNING!!! Spoilers to follow</b>).<br />
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After some questioning, John reveals that he was an important person from history, and his revelation and its implications turn this into a completely different movie. <em><strong>The Man from Earth</strong></em> starts out as a “what-if” discourse on the implications of a person who had lived through all of human history. The revelation, however, makes us rethink the past and perhaps even our very core beliefs. This curve ball is a bit jarring and may turn some viewers off from the movie. I have to admit that I had some difficulty digesting it at first. But the more I thought about it, this turn of events really raised the movie to the next level and caused it to resonate with me for several days and ponder its implications. And you can’t ask much more than that from a movie in the science fiction genre, or <em><strong>any</strong></em> genre for that matter.<br />
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This movie succeeds primarily with the <i>ideas</i> it puts forth which cause the viewer to think long and hard about their perception of history. And it does this by way of an excellent script and a superb cast, and without a special effects crew in site. Sure, there are plenty of blockbusters that will be assaulting the theaters in the coming months and especially this Summer season, and we will all go and enjoy the escapist entertainment they provide, exploding on the screens with the latest special effects technology. But if you want an excellent science fiction movie that lives and dies by its story, script, and actors then be sure to plop <em><strong>The Man from Earth</strong></em> into your DVD player after you return from the theater.<br />
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<b>Buy The Man From Earth on Blu-ray and DVD from Amazon.com:</b><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-78071345349476317002019-04-04T10:19:00.000-05:002019-04-04T10:19:01.275-05:00Audiobook Review: The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Book Rating:</b> 5 out of 5 Stars (Highest Rating)<br />
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<b>Audiobook Rating:</b> 5 out of 5 Stars (Highest Rating)<br />
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<b>Bottom Line:</b> A first-rate sci fi book that pokes fun at the genre while also introducing iconic characters and delving into some interesting moral dilemmas.<br />
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<b><i>The Stainless Steel Rat</i></b> is Harry Harrison’s classic book that introduces us to the intergalactic criminal mastermind with a good heart James Bolivar diGriz who also goes by the book’s titular name. He lives in the distant future when humans have spread out across the galaxy and initially makes a good living for himself as a con-man, thief, and swindler. But he is captured and enlisted by the “Special Corps” and goes undercover as an operative for that mysterious organization. In his first mission, he is sent after the female criminal named Angelina, but starts to develop a mutual respect for her and amorous feelings as well.<br />
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The character was first introduced in the short story “The Stainless Steel Rat” which appeared in <b><i>Astounding</i></b> magazine in 1957. Harrison later fleshed that out to a novel and eleven sequels would follow over Harrison’s lifetime. In many ways, this book is a sci fi parody with tongue firmly planted in cheek, but it does not go quite into <b><i>Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy</i></b> territory as it presents more of a sly and witty take on the genre.<br />
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<b><i>The Stainless Steel Rat</i></b> also presents some interesting philosophical meanderings, though some of that requires digging into the subtext. The main character is happy to expound on his philosophy of life (it is written in the first person), and he definitely places great value on the individual and personal freedom. But diGriz ultimately finds himself manipulated by the Special Corps and by Angelina, so the freedom he believes he possess is definitely questionable. Plus his justifications for his criminal activity and the decisions he wrestles with while working for the Corps present some interesting moral quandaries. All of this makes for a fun and enticing read and elevates the book to more than just a simple parody of the sci fi genre.<br />
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Enhancing the experience of this delightful book is the audio version that is narrated by Phil Gigante. The highly enthusiastic, heroic, Buzz Lightyear voice he employs for the main narration and for diGriz works perfectly with the material and takes it to the next level for an audio production. His voices for the other characters also add to the overall experience and make this a first-rate audiobook. I have only one complaint about the audio version and that is that it is DRM Protected. I purchased this through <a href="https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=599842&u=342676&m=52971&urllink=&afftrack=">AudiobooksNow.com</a> and I can listen as long as I have an account with that service. But I can’t download it in MP3 format for archival purposes like I can with most of their other books. But that is only a nitpick and don’t let that stop you from enjoying this must-read sci fi entry that is perfectly brought to life with its audio production.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-27292747815083117612019-01-11T07:00:00.000-06:002019-04-04T10:05:34.544-05:00Audiobook Review: Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Book Rating:</b> 4 ½ out of 5 Stars<br />
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<b>Audiobook Rating:</b> 5 out of 5 Stars (Highest Rating)<br />
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<b>Bottom Line:</b> This book delivers a quintessential piece of 19th Century horror / sci fi that presents some challenging moral quandaries.<br />
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In this classic 19th Century tale, a lawyer--Gabriel John Utterson--finds himself entangled in the affairs of his friend, the upstanding Dr. Henry Jekyll, along with a rather surly dwarf of a man known as Mr. Hyde. The latter, a person of loathsome appearance and demeanor, has been seen around town and was guilty of assaulting a girl, for which Dr. Jekyll later paid retribution. Hyde has an unspecified connection with the doctor and Utterson is particularly dismayed when Jekyll revises his will to include Hyde as a beneficiary. This all comes to a head when a man is violently murdered and Mr. Hyde is linked to the crime, becoming a fugitive from justice.<br />
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This infamous novella written by Robert Louis Stevenson was first published in 1886 and has since become an iconic piece of genre fiction and has been retold countless times in film, on television, in comics, on the stage and more. The reason the story has lived on is that Stevenson managed to deliver a powerful tale that resonates with his readers and definitely touches a primal nerve. The first nine chapters of the book, written from the point of view of Utterson, give us a mystery tale as the lawyer tries to find out the truth about Mr. Hyde and his connection to Dr. Jekyll. But it is the final chapter that propels this book into the realm of literary masterpiece. This chapter unveils the final journal of Dr. Jekyll as he details his experiment and descent into the depths of his own dark side. But instead of simply looking at this from the simplistic point of view of good vs. evil, Stevenson adds another dimension to his tale by acknowledging the fact that both sides co-exist within us all and that we must learn to cope with our own dark sides in order to not be controlled by it. Jekyll tried to control his own licentiousness by devising a means to eradicate his dark side, but instead that created the Mr. Hyde alter ego. And this evil side of him gradually overtook the good side and ultimately destroyed both. Stevenson gets into some pretty heady (and cutting edge for the time) psychological territory in this chapter, and the moral issues he raises still provide subject for debate today.<br />
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I have to admit, though, that I found the ending a bit unsatisfying. After the revelations of the final chapter, all written in the words of Jekyll, I wanted to see the reaction of Utterson as well as some additional resolution of earlier plot threads left hanging. But that did not come as the novella ends on Jekyll’s final, ominous words. On the plus side, this tale is not overly wordy like other important genre works from the 19th century such as <b><i>Dracula</i></b> and <b><i>Frankenstein</i></b>. The relatively brief length of this book makes it a quick read, unlike the two mentioned above (or the thousand-plus page bloatfests we currently see hitting the shelves these days), but a short chapter wrapping up the loose ends would have been nice. But then that’s just a quibble and who am I to try and perfect a literary masterpiece?<br />
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<b><i>Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde</i></b> is often looked at as a horror story, but the fact is that it is also a proto-science fiction tale as well. Jekyll’s experiments that lead to the creation of Mr. Hyde come about through scientific endeavors and have no supernatural links. In this sense, the book is similar to Mary Shelley’s <b><i>Frankenstein</i></b> which based the creation of that book’s monster on scientific knowledge of the time. Stevenson also works in some of the early discoveries of psychology, a field that had established itself as a new scientific discipline at about that same time (separating itself from philosophy where it had previously been relegated). But whether you consider it horror, science fiction or both, it is a must-read for all genre fans.<br />
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Since <b><i>Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde</i></b> is in the public domain, there are many audio adaptations and dramatizations available for this work, but I decided to check out the <a href="https://librivox.org/">Librivox</a> version and was pleasantly surprised. For those not familiar with Librivox, that site is the <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/">Project Gutenberg</a> of audiobooks, offering free audio adaptations of works in the public domain available for download. This is one of several audiobooks from Librivox I have listened to and the others were of varying quality as far as narration goes. But the adaptation that Stevenson’s book gets the first-rate treatment, with narrator David Barnes giving us a professional quality reading. Whereas some of the readers for Librivox (all volunteers) provide barely passable narrations, Barnes delivers an excellent vocal performance and makes the story a pleasure to listen to. Why pay good money for a professional adaptation when you can get one just a good for free from Librivox? You can download it as MP3 files <a href="https://librivox.org/the-strange-case-of-dr-jekyll-mr-hyde-by-robert-louis-stevenson/">at this link</a> and I highly recommend this version whether you are a regular audiobook listener (used to a professional level of quality) or just trying them out for the first time.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-11218595523536285282018-11-09T10:02:00.001-06:002018-11-09T10:02:44.631-06:00Sci Fi Short Theater: Apocalypse Now Now, Anthem, The Cycle, and More<b>Apocalypse Now Now</b><br />
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<strong>Description:</strong> Baxter Zevcenko might be a serial killer. His girlfriend, Esme, is missing, and he’s the prime suspect. To clear his name, he’ll turn to Cape Town’s grizzliest, drunkest bounty hunter, Jackson ‘Jackie’ Ronin. Little does he know that Ronin is a supernatural bounty-hunter, and that he’s about to be dragged headlong into a deep, dark Cape Town underbelly full of monsters and myth, shadowy government forces, bloodthirsty crow-men and a conspiracy across time and space. (More about the film at this link: <a href="http://www.bephatmotel.com/projects#/apocalypse-now-now/">www.bephatmotel.com/projects#/apocalypse-now-now/</a><br />
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<strong>Credits:</strong> Michael Matthews (Director), Sean Drummond (Writer)<br />
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<strong>Starring:</strong> Garion Dowds, Louw Venter, Faniswa Yisa<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong> This is a proof of concept short based on the <a href="https://amzn.to/2k5hU4N">Charlie Human novel</a> of the same name and I certainly hope they expand this one into a full film. It's Quentin Tarantino does the supernatural apocalypse and it has all the right pieces to make a decent movie.
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<b>Anthem</b><br />
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<strong>Description:</strong> Aliens sift through the contents of a time capsule as flashbacks show the last few minutes of the people who left behind the mementos shortly before the world ends.<br />
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<strong>Credits:</strong> Jarrett lee Conway (Director / Writer)<br />
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<strong>Starring:</strong> Ossie Beck, Sam Feuer, Christina Robinson, Thomas Phillips<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong> This is a poignant short film that uses its premise quite well, though I would have liked to have seen it expanded a bit further (not necessarily feature length). I notice in the comments on YouTube that some assume that the film has a particular political point of view, but I think they are missing the point.
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<b>The Cycle</b><br />
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<strong>Description:</strong> An apprentice of magic finds out, that she herself is her greatest enemy. This video is a student short film, made in Berlin.<br />
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<strong>Credits:</strong> David Schuster (Director / Writer)<br />
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<strong>Starring:</strong> Marie Bebber, Steven M. Gilbert, Lucas Wija<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong> This is an enjoyable fantasy short that could be fleshed out into a full film. The CGI is not the greatest, about video game quality, but it is still pretty decent considering this is a student film.
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<b>Pets</b><br />
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<strong>Description:</strong> The future is clean and easy, with the intelligent spheres guiding you through. This video is a student movie, made in Berlin.<br />
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<strong>Credits:</strong> David Wunderlich (Director / Writer)<br />
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<strong>Starring:</strong> Steven Preisner, Almuth Jabs, Frank Rungwald, Carole Lunt<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong> This is an interesting little sci fi film that might just make you wonder who is really in control next time you look at one of the your smart devices.
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<b>Embers and Dust</b><br />
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<strong>Description:</strong> For a curious young boy, The War of the Worlds is just the beginning. On the evening of October 30th, 1938 Orson Welles’ voice traveled far across the radio waves, bringing word of an invading alien army from Mars. The theatricality and delivery of the performance, along with recent memories of the Hindenburg disaster (one year prior), sent many listeners into a panic. Unfortunate coincidence would fall upon the town of Concrete WA where, at the height of the invading alien attack, a power transformer blew out sending the entire town and surrounding areas into darkness.<br />
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<strong>Credits:</strong> Patrick Biesemans (Writer / Director)<br />
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<strong>Starring:</strong> Joel Nagel, Virginia Logan, Henry Gagliardi<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong> A nice piece of retro-sci fi with a very cinematic feel to it. Seems almost like it could have been part of a larger Spielberg-type film and I'd like to see this one expanded to feature length.
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-91031018653096296752018-10-12T11:47:00.000-05:002018-10-12T11:47:18.891-05:00TV Review: Manifest<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Rating:</b> 2 ½ out of 5 Stars<br />
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<b>Bottom Line:</b> This Lost-lookalike has some interesting ideas but does not appear to be built for the long haul.<br />
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NBC’s new series <b><i>Manifest</i></b> follows the passengers and crew of an airplane that disappears for over five years then mysteriously reappears and lands with no explanation for the absence. For those on the plane, it only seems like a few hours have passed. But the rest of the world assumed the plane had crashed and all aboard were lost. And if this premise is starting to sound a bit like <b><i>Reverse-Lost</i></b>, that appears to be exactly what the show is going for. Mysteries upon mysteries abound, and we are introduced to more and more people from the plane who all seem to share an uncanny connection.<br />
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After three episodes, though, the creative team has failed to demonstrate that they grasp what made <b><i>Lost</i></b> a must-watch show when it first debuted (and throughout its six-year run). The veteran show gave us interesting, colorful, and diverse characters amongst its principals, each who had a well-developed backstory. We became engaged in the characters right away, and the mysteries of the island just added to the intrigue of the show. Viewers were drawn back each week to learn more about this cast of characters while also putting together the clues for the over-arching mystery.<br />
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<b><i>Manifest</i></b>, on the other hand, has so far loaded up on stock television characters and stories while throwing in bits of mystery relating to the disappearance and how it has affected those from the plane. A few of the characters step away from television stereotypes, particularly Cal (played by Jack Messina) and Saanvi (played by Parveen Kaur), but the rest seem to fade into the background, including the show’s leads Michaela Stone (played by Melissa Roxburgh) and Ben Stone (played by Josh Dallas). Add to this procedural storylines with plenty of soap opera asides, and you have a mish-mash of genres that never really distinguishes itself.<br />
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There is perhaps an intriguing storyline here and the show could start to find its legs after a few more episodes, but without interesting enough characters and more original ideas, it seems like diminishing returns will set in pretty quickly. <b><i>Manifest</i></b> reminds me very much of <b><i>FlashForward</i></b>, <b><i>The Event</i></b>, <b><i>Alcatraz</i></b>, and other <b><i>Lost</i></b>-wannabes in that it has some potential but it is mired too much in television tropes and attempts to substitute unresolved mysteries for stories. Sci fi fans like myself are likely already losing interest in the show, and the general television audience will probably start tuning out when they grow frustrated with the murky storylines.<br />
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Ratings-wise, this one has actually done quite well for NBC through its first three episodes. But I personally am ready to tune out considering there are so many better options for viewing in the Peak TV era. If <b><i>Manifest</i></b> continues on its current path, my guess is that the audience will erode and this will end up as another one-season-and-done <b><i>Lost</i></b>-imitator like the shows mentioned above.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084231951491571274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-75815366056867131082018-07-28T09:46:00.000-05:002018-11-09T10:16:28.182-06:00Sci Fi Short Theater: The Looking Planet, Final Offer, Adagio, and More<b>The Looking Planet</b><br />
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<strong>Description:</strong> During the construction of the universe, a young member of the Cosmos Corps of Engineers decides to break some fundamental laws in the name of self-expression.<br />
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<strong>Credits:</strong> Eric Law Anderson (Director / Writer)<br />
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<strong>Starring:</strong> Samuel Hery, Joe Capalletti, Cindy Robinson<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong> This film may not fit well with the theories on the creation of the universe in your science text book, but we'll call it an alternate explanation. Beautifully animated, this one is rather poetic and great fun as well.
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<b>Final Offer</b><br />
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<strong>Description:</strong> A down-on-his-luck lawyer awakes in a doorless room to find he's been selected to negotiate on behalf of the human race.<br />
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<strong>Credits:</strong> Mark Slutsky (Director / Writer)<br />
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<strong>Starring:</strong> Anna Hopkins, Aaron Abrams<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong> Sometimes those legal technicalities can work in your favor as this fun little short proves. This one makes good use of the talented Anna Hopkins who has appeared on <em><strong>The Expanse</strong></em>, <em><strong>Dark Matter</strong></em>, <em><strong>Arrow</strong></em>, and more. Aaron Abrams also does a good job and he has previously been seen on <em><strong>Blindspot</strong></em>, <em><strong>Hannibal</strong></em>, and more
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<b>Adagio</b><br />
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<strong>Description:</strong> A young man sacrifices himself for the lives of a thousand, but will he come back? Based on a story by Robert Heinlein.<br />
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<strong>Credits:</strong> Christian Doran (Director / Writer)<br />
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<strong>Starring:</strong> Matt Popp, Mary Musolino, Rob De Fries<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong> This is a very moving and well-done piece of science fiction. I've not read the short story it is based on, so I don't know how well it sticks to the source material. But what Doran has done with it here is quite good and I would like to see more work from this director.
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<b>Wire Cutters</b><br />
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<strong>Description:</strong> A chance encounter proves fateful for 2 robots mining on a desolate planet.<br />
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<strong>Credits:</strong> Jack Anderson (Director / Writer)<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong> This is a nice bit of animated fun with quite excellent CGI. Would love to see them do some more shorts with the same robots.
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<b>Hope</b><br />
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<strong>Description:</strong> With the world ablaze, a lone survivor must preserve all life before meeting his fate. Hope follows Dr. Jacob Thorn's final act to ensure humanity's future after all life is wiped out by an asteroid impact. High above Earth in a space station built solely for this task Thorn has to cope with unimaginable loss as he carries out his mission. More info on this film <a href="https://www.gutsandstylefilms.com/#!hope/c9qb">at this link</a>.<br />
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<strong>Credits:</strong> Frank Anderson (Director / Writer)<br />
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<strong>Starring:</strong> Troy Halverson, Amor Owens, Sheena Wiley<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong> This is a nice piece of apocalyptic sci fi with a bit of <em>hope</em> to it (thus the title). And the CGI is quite good as well.
<div style="position:relative;height:0;padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GOh-DaYATXs?ecver=2" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;left:0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-69192809249661126342018-07-26T07:00:00.000-05:002018-09-21T10:42:16.083-05:00The Anti-Blockbusters: Ex Machina<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjpFHDx1EYbWIChuJE58kmrhpb3oPukrvQfiVXngTrLinMEUPcuDclpiUtvosBXP4lA1yaa-amy3GCRa-OCnb1qMHqesWbMPP6lM2LxG6kJQwHr1D6ab_qdVR3mQRzt2paNNzs6ZSOn22/s1600/ex-machina-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjpFHDx1EYbWIChuJE58kmrhpb3oPukrvQfiVXngTrLinMEUPcuDclpiUtvosBXP4lA1yaa-amy3GCRa-OCnb1qMHqesWbMPP6lM2LxG6kJQwHr1D6ab_qdVR3mQRzt2paNNzs6ZSOn22/s320/ex-machina-poster.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<strong>Rating:</strong> 4 ½ out 5 Stars<br />
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<strong>Bottom Line:</strong> In the tradition of the best science fiction movies, this near-flawless film uses its sci fi elements to address moral dilemmas we face in our current social setting.<br />
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This movie begins as programmer Caleb Smith, who works for the very Google-like company Blue Book, learns that he has won a one-week trip to the home of the company's reclusive CEO Nathan Bateman. Once Caleb arrives there, he finds that Nathan has built a very human-like robot who he has named Ava. This robot has already passed a Turing test--which determines a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behavior--and Nathan wants Caleb to continue to test it to prove that it truly possesses artificial intelligence. Through the process, though, Caleb starts to develop feelings for Ava. And when he learns that Nathan plans on upgrading her, which will wipe out her current personality, he decides to try an save her current version from being destroyed.<br />
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This movie was written by Alex Garland (<em><strong>28 Days Later</strong></em>, <em><strong>Annihilation</strong></em>) and it was his directorial debut. He does an excellent job with both the script and helming the film and delivers what I believe should be counted as a new classic among science fiction movies. The pacing is slow but never plodding as the story unfolds carefully but does not proceed quite how you may expect. I'm trying to be as spoiler free in this review as possible because the film has plenty of twists and turns which are what truly make it into a great movie.<br />
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It's no accident that Nathan's company is analogous to Google because the film addresses issues that impact us due to the rise of tech-giants like that company and others. Artificial intelligence definitely is one of the moral quandaries tackled, but also the constant monitoring and surveillance as well as the extensive data collected on all of us that use their products. In the tradition of the best science fiction tales, this movie looks at how technology impacts us with all of the dilemmas that entails. And that sinks in pretty hard when Caleb comes to an important realization later in the film (again, no spoilers).<br />
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The cast is minimal with four actors taking up the vast majority of the screen time. Oscar Isaac, who plays Nathan, went on to play Poe Dameron in the <em><strong>Star Wars</strong></em> films, but the other three actors are not well known in the States. Still, they are more than up to the challenge of carrying this film and work quite well as an ensemble. Isaac probably has the most dominating presence, especially early on, but Alicia Vikander as Ava ends up stealing plenty of scenes, particularly toward the end.<br />
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The special effects are none short of excellent, though judiciously used. The majority of the visual effects are used on Ava's machine body and these are flawless. But unlike the typical Hollywood blockbuster, this film does not give us an excess of CGI, nor does it live and die on its visuals alone. <em><strong>Ex Machina</strong></em> has a carefully crafted script that employs good sfx to take it to that next level, but the story and the actors are what truly set it apart. It is not a mega-budget film delivering non-stop action and CGI-overload. It is a much more somber piece that uses its science fiction premise to raise questions very important to our present social situation as well as the direction we are heading. That's what good sci fi movies do.<br />
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<strong>Available from Amazon.com:</strong><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-4600548170058287002018-07-19T07:00:00.000-05:002018-10-15T16:54:43.632-05:00Review: The X-Files Cold Cases and Stolen Lives (Audio Dramas)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0iRV4iws_Ce59mCDwd2VIYqfqO-B2UWcTMh16bYZfCUGLlbrOoRruoUsybZI9jRyjXkxuN0Bk6VBz2_DcRJBUywGP-ouxTbPLf7hLbNcYyQB0H6Vd0677EyJxaonB7aqtwJytR8tAT7pL/s1600/the-x-files-cold-cases.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0iRV4iws_Ce59mCDwd2VIYqfqO-B2UWcTMh16bYZfCUGLlbrOoRruoUsybZI9jRyjXkxuN0Bk6VBz2_DcRJBUywGP-ouxTbPLf7hLbNcYyQB0H6Vd0677EyJxaonB7aqtwJytR8tAT7pL/s320/the-x-files-cold-cases.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<em><strong>The X-Files: Cold Cases</strong></em> and <em><strong>The X-Files: Stolen Lives</strong></em> are two audio dramas produced exclusively for Audible that brought back the original cast to voice their roles from the show. They are adapted from the comic book series <em><strong>The X-Files: Season 10</strong></em> that was published by IDW and written by Joe Harris (<em><strong>Locke & Key</strong></em>) with an assist from Chris Carter. The series begins by revisiting the lives of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully who have been in hiding and under FBI protection since the events at the end of the ninth and final season of the television series. Deputy Director Skinner seeks Mulder's help and Scully in kidnapped which leads to a re-opening of the X-Files and kicks off a series of adventures for our favorite FBI paranormal investigators.<br />
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These two audio dramas are great fun, providing the perfect return to the <em><strong>X-Files</strong></em> universe and a much more satisfying continuation of the series than the recent revival which has aired sixteen very uneven episodes thus far. Joe Harris understands the nostalgia value that the original series holds and he makes great use of that, but he also knows how to tell a decent story, and these dramas draw as much on that as fond memories from the original show. He gives a plausible explanation for where Mulder and Scully have been since the events of the TV series wrapped up in 2002 and why they are now coming back out in to the light of day. He also brings back many of the favorite characters (and characters we loved to hate) from the show, with reasonable justifications for the presence of those who died off in the series.<br />
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Much like the original series, this is comprised of several stand-alone stories as well episodes that are part of a bigger story arc that draws everything together. And it does a good job of recapping much of the mythology from the showing, giving a refresher for returning fans and a catch-up for new listeners. The television revival should have drawn heavily from the Season 10 comics (which spanned 25 issues), at least for the basic setup, because it is much more faithful to the original series.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwssCivL6GKz-JoYTcw5V4ulx6_uKRtmOJqQqJckyq1_GPGp_CCt_kd6vS1m8v1BPTd0PsGfBpIrR7tWdzUoCY01sB_asK1ZW0bzTWFZzQvov6vM9smxLRTeY5EZKBIL68SwQcvmNzQbQ1/s1600/the-x-files-stolen-lives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwssCivL6GKz-JoYTcw5V4ulx6_uKRtmOJqQqJckyq1_GPGp_CCt_kd6vS1m8v1BPTd0PsGfBpIrR7tWdzUoCY01sB_asK1ZW0bzTWFZzQvov6vM9smxLRTeY5EZKBIL68SwQcvmNzQbQ1/s320/the-x-files-stolen-lives.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
As for the audio adaptation, it comes off quite well as expected considering the high-power cast it has on hand. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are back in the leads along with Mitch Pileggi as Skinner and many of the original actors from the series (I won't list them all because quite a number count as spoilers). Even Robert Patrick and Annabeth Gish show up as Doggett and Reyes, though their participation is minor. I only have one nitpick and that is that the audio dramas could have used a narrator. There are several times where the actor's dialogue tells the audience what they are doing ("I am walking into the house. I am opening the door to the room. I am walking into the dark room.") and it sounds rather stilted and unrealistic. Other times, you just have to guess what is going on based on the sound effects, which is often times difficult. But apart from that, this is a first rate production.<br />
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These two audio dramas are must-haves for long-time fans of the show and are well worth the time you will spend listening to them (both clock in at around four hours). They are only available through Audible that this time, but if you sign up with their two free books promotion (see link below), then you get them both for nothing. And Audible does have the largest selection of audio books out there if you do want to continue your audio adventures (unfortunately they do everything in their proprietary format, though). If you still have a bad taste in your mouth from the revival series, these audio dramas just might be the perfect thing to wash that away. They offer good stories that are faithful to the original series and that are well-performed. <em><strong>X-Files</strong></em> fans will definitely not be disappointed by these.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-77201334523153260702018-07-12T07:00:00.000-05:002018-09-21T10:45:54.857-05:00The Anti-Blockbusters: Europa Report<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWd71F6MFxMnyHI6X4DFkaG48dZJfGxBqyWD56rzGiASbvZsDbCu7MmttfcD1CQ9g7SAvo-sVYKYac36lsSGc64yazpcu2IKDHQgQiUnLmoe81yX8bwdHwutEjXLO3ssJI2gIp3zihoU4P/s1600/europs-report-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWd71F6MFxMnyHI6X4DFkaG48dZJfGxBqyWD56rzGiASbvZsDbCu7MmttfcD1CQ9g7SAvo-sVYKYac36lsSGc64yazpcu2IKDHQgQiUnLmoe81yX8bwdHwutEjXLO3ssJI2gIp3zihoU4P/s1600/europs-report-poster.jpg" /></a></div>
<strong>Rating:</strong> 4 out of 5 Stars<br />
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<strong>Bottom Line:</strong> This movie does a good job of merging the found-footage technique with a strong science fiction story.<br />
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This found-footage film came out in 2013 and did a very good job of adapting that filming style to a science fiction tale. The movie follows a mission to Jupiter’s moon Europa which is believed to be the most likely place to find life in our solar system. A technical malfunction causes the astronauts to lose contact with Earth, but they decide to go forward with their mission. Once they arrive at the Moon, they face additional challenges, but they are not deterred because of the potential for the scientific revelations this moon may hold. The story is told through footage from the cameras onboard the ship and the astronauts’ suits. It is presented in a somewhat disjointed style, but it all comes together at the end.<br />
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The found-footage style has worked quite well for horror films,--obvious examples being <em><strong>The Blair Witch Project</strong></em> and <em><strong>Paranormal Activity</strong></em>--but it has not been used too often for science fiction entries. Apart from 2008’s <em><strong>Monster</strong></em> and 2009’s <em><strong>Distict 9</strong></em>, I can’t remember any other science fiction films that have employed the found-footage technique (I’m counting movies like <em><strong>Cloverfield</strong></em> and <em><strong>Apollo 18</strong></em> as sci fi / horror hybrids). But <em><strong>Europa Report</strong></em> is a straight science fiction film without any supernatural elements and only a slight bit of horror. Basically, imagine the Jupiter mission from <em><strong>2001: A Space Odyssey</strong></em> as a found-footage film and without the trippy ending, and that is what you have here.<br />
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<em><strong>Europa Report</strong></em> can be a slow film, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. It builds its story at a steady but never plodding pace and relies heavily on realistic science for its premise. Classic examples that it would compare to are <em><strong>2001</strong></em>, <em><strong>Andromeda Strain</strong></em>, and <em><strong>Silent Running</strong></em>, and a more recent comparison would be 2009’s <em><strong>Moon</strong></em>. <em><strong>Europa Report</strong></em> stands up quite well in this company, though I don’t know that it quite achieves must-watch status. Still, it is an excellent science fiction film that treats its material with intelligence and does not employ the typical and hackneyed Hollywood hooks to keep its audience engaged.<br />
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The film was made on a budget of around $10 million and does a hell of a good job of stretching that to its limit. It never looks cheap and actually delivers some striking visuals at times. Films like these prove that the $100 to $200 million budgets of Hollywood Blockbusters are more bloat than brawn and that a good movie can be made with much less money. <em><strong>Europa Report</strong></em> also makes good use of its cast as it is very much an ensemble drama carried forward by solid performances from all involved. No one actor really stands out above the others, but each makes their mark.<br />
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My only gripe is that it probably could have been edited better. The story jumps around from present to past events (all caught on the cameras) and can be confusing at times. But as I mentioned above, it does come together quite well by the end, so consider this just a nitpick as Sebastian Cordero’s directing keeps the story moving along. Apart from that this is a solid science fiction entry that offers a good respite from the non-stop action and CGI-overload from the mega-budget films Hollywood regularly throws at us. It is a throwback of sorts to more somber filmmaking that adds in the more recently popular found-footage gimmick, but it combines these masterfully and delivers an engaging and well-made film.<br />
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<strong>Buy Europa Report on Blu-ray and DVD from Amazon.com:</strong><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-46324437938338457502018-07-10T10:08:00.000-05:002018-11-09T10:09:26.346-06:00Sci Fi Short Theater: Cockpit, FTL, Hybrids, and More<b>Cockpit</b><br />
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<strong>Description:</strong> In the midst of a deep space war, Carrier Captain must decide if it is worth risking the security of Earth to save a suffocating pilot who may or may not have been corrupted by the mind controlling aliens.<br />
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<strong>Credits:</strong> Jesse Griffith (Director / Writer)<br />
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<strong>Starring:</strong> Ronny Cox, Hellena Taylor, Karl Champley<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong> This space adventure is quite a good and tense bit of sci fi. The sfx appear to be a combination of practical effects and CGI and can be somewhat cheesy at times, but I rather liked them. This was done in 2012 and has been on the festival circuit for a while winning several awards. The director plans on eventually doing a feature length film based on the concept. You can read more about the film at its website <a href="http://cockpitthemovie.com">cockpitthemovie.com</a>.
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<b>FTL</b><br />
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<strong>Description:</strong> A lone astronaut testing the first faster-than-light spacecraft travels farther than he imagined possible.<br />
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<strong>Credits:</strong> Adam Stern (Director / Writer)<br />
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<strong>Starring:</strong> Ty Olsson, Karin Konoval, Aliyah O'Brien<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong> This is a nice bit of sci fi with excellent CGI animation. Definitely worth the fifteen minutes it takes to watch it.
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<b>Hybrids</b><br />
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<strong>Description:</strong> After the death of her daughter ex-special forces soldier seeks revenge on the aliens that committed brutal murder.<br />
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<strong>Credits:</strong> Patrick Kalyn (Writer / Director)<br />
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<strong>Starring:</strong> Daniella Evangelista, Kaitlyn Bernard, Lee Tomaschefski<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong> This is a nice bit of sci fi action with a touch of depth to it. It has a strong female lead and I liked the CGI for the aliens. And it is a decent enough premise that it could continue into a web series or a full-fledged film.
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<b>Sol 87</b><br />
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<strong>Description:</strong> On his isolation cycle to Mars, Astronaut Commander Stephen James inadvertently discovers the darker side of the planet. This Science fiction thriller explores what a mission to Mars could look like in the near future.<br />
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<strong>Credits:</strong> Justin Kruse (Director / Writer), James McDonald (Writer), Quddus Ajimine (Writer)<br />
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<strong>Starring:</strong> James McDonald<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong> This is a very well down sci fi film with impressive special effects and a nice use of landscapes. It starts out very reminiscent of The Martian, but quickly takes a darker turn. Would love to see this one fleshed out into a feature length movie.<br />
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<div style="position:relative;height:0;padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/prZ4m1qgvLk?ecver=2" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;left:0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><br />
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<b>R'ha</b><br />
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<strong>Description:</strong> Caught in a large-scale and endless war, the sophisticated and utterly unstoppable machines seem to be winning the battle against their adversaries: a proud alien species. As a result, a technologically perfect robot interrogates a captive alien with the intention to locate the rest of his race's survivors, pressing on with more and more unrelenting and horrible tortures. But the alien knows that he holds his species' last chance of survival and he won't go down without a fight. IMDb.com<br />
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<strong>Credits:</strong> Kaleb Lechowski (Writer / Director)<br />
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<strong>Starring:</strong> David Masterson<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong> The CGI animation in this short film is quite good and it delivers an interesting story of man (make that alien) vs. machine. A nice little piece of sci fi.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-81480190995786200132018-07-09T07:00:00.000-05:002018-10-12T10:27:46.264-05:00A Brief History of Steve Ditko’s Contribution to Comics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Legendary comic book artist Steve Ditko passed away at the end of June at the age of 90, after a prolific and influential career. He is best known for co-creating Spider-Man and Doctor Strange with Stan Lee, but Ditko’s contributions to the comic book field go way beyond that as he started out in the early 50’s and remained active into the 90’s and beyond. Ditko had a very simplistic artistic style that was almost cartoonish at times, especially his work from the 70’s and later. But he was a well-respected artist and story-teller, and the characters he created have left lasting impressions on those who would follow in his footsteps.<br />
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Steve Ditko got his start in comics in the early fifties drawing mostly sci fi and horror stories for a variety of publishers, though he found stable work at Charlton Comics, a company that he would work for off and on until it closed its doors in the 80’s. His first work for that company, a vampire story titled “Cinderella” appeared in the February 1954 issue of <em><strong>The Thing</strong></em>. He would continue to contribute to that and other Charlton titles throughout the 50’s. He also did work for Atlas comics where he teamed up with the likes of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, again doing mostly sci fi and horror shorts.<br />
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In the 1960’s, Ditko made a name for himself when he worked on two important superheroes for Marvel Comics, the company that emerged from Atlas (known as Timely in the the 40’s), and that had made a big splash with <em><strong>The Fantastic Four</strong></em> in 1961. Stan Lee had been busy expanding the company’s line of superheroes (mostly with Jack Kirby up to that point) and he teamed up with Ditko on what would become one of the company’s flagship characters: Spider-Man. Ditko drew the first appearance of the web-crawler in the fifteenth issue of <em><strong>Amazing Adult Fantasy</strong></em>, and he would stay with the character through the first 38 issues of <em><strong>The Amazing Spider-Man</strong></em>, establishing much of the lore and many of the characters that other creators would draw from in the years that would follow. Ditko also worked with Stan Lee to create Doctor Strange and would establish much of that character’s universe during his time working on the series.<br />
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While Ditko was working at Marvel, he became enamored with the Objectivist philosophy which was developed by author Ayn Rand and explored in her books such as <em><strong>The Fountainhead</strong></em> and <em><strong>Atlas Shrugged</strong></em>. The very individualistic and rigid beliefs promoted by this system impacted his professional career and likely prompted his sudden departure from Marvel. Ditko was apparently not happy that Stan Lee received most of the credit for the Marvel superheroes and the artist also felt he was not paid adequately for his work (Jack Kirby had similar feelings and eventually left Marvel at the beginning of the next decade). Ditko decided that the situation at Marvel was not a good one for him, and he left in the late 60’s after having created some legendary work for that company.<br />
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He returned to Charlton Comics where the pay was lower but where he had more creative freedom. He drew several notable characters at the time that Charlton was trying to bolster its line of superhero titles to compete with Marvel and DC. Those included Captain Atom (a character he had co-created back in 1960), a revived Blue Beetle (the third incarnation of that character), and his own new creation The Question. None of those titles lasted long, but the characters would be acquired by DC when Charlton folded in the 80’s and would all have notable runs at that company with different creators. In fact, the Charlton heroes were the ones the Alan Moore originally wanted to use for his <em><strong>Watchmen</strong></em> series, but DC decided to keep those as part of its main line-up. Moore then created his own versions with Night Owl standing in for Blue Beetle, Dr. Manhattan for Captain Atom, and Rorschach for The Question.<br />
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After Charlton cancelled its superhero titles, Ditko continued to draw sci fi and horror shorts for the company and he also spent some time creating new characters for DC Comics. He did The Creeper and Hawk and Dove, though neither series caught on at the time they were first published. These two titles would continue to include some of the Objectivist ideas he previously introduced in the Blue Beetle and most overtly in The Question. Ditko would later create Mr. A, essentially a reboot of The Question, and dive headlong into Objectivism. These comics focused heavily on the individual vs. society and shared similarities to themes covered by 1960's <em><strong>The Prisoner</strong></em> TV series (though that was definitely <em>not</em> a pro-Objectivist platform). But Ditko’s philosophy comics tended to be preachy and self-righteous and failed to find much of an audience at that time.<br />
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Sadly, after the 1960’s Ditko’s career went in the direction of a perpetual decline, in part because his Objectivist beliefs often acted as more a hurdle than anything else. He felt like the comics industry did not show the proper appreciation to the creators working in the field, which was very true at that time. But his unwillingness to comprise even a little bit (a very Objectivist stance) in part kept him from ever experiencing much success again in his career.<br />
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Throughout the early 70’s he mostly continued to do shorts for Charlton as well as a few other companies such as Warren Publishing. He did return to DC and Marvel later in the decade, but his contributions were minimal because his artwork and story-telling was out of step with what the companies were producing at that time (Jack Kirby ran into the same hurdles at those companies during the mid-to-late 70’s). Ditko did work on such titles as <em><strong>Rom Spacenight</strong></em>, <em><strong>Machine Man</strong></em>, and <em><strong>The Micronauts</strong></em> and even briefly returned to <em><strong>The Creeper</strong></em> for DC. His most notable creation during that time was <em><strong>Shade The Changing Man</strong></em> (a personal favorite of mine in its original form), but it never caught on and was cancelled after eight issues.<br />
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Ditko continued to do work in the 80’s but never really took advantage of the wave a creator-owned comics (something which he strongly supported), and most of his work was relegated to backup stories in the sci fi / horror vein as well as tales that continued his attempts to spread Objectivist philosophy. By the 90’s Ditko was so out of step with the industry that he was reduced to providing art for <em><strong>Big Boy</strong></em> comics and various coloring books. He did have a short stint back at Marvel where he co-created the superhero parody character Squirrel Girl who would eventually become quite a success with a 21st century revival by different creators. Ditko also continued to write his objectivist comics up until the time of his death, some of which were self-published or crowd-funded with the help of his long-time friend Robin Snyder.<br />
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When <em><strong>Spider-Man</strong></em> hit the big screen in 2002, Ditko was given a co-creator credit for the character, but he was not involved with the film even though had been invited to participate and he received no royalties from it. He had always been a very private person, someone who refused interviews, and had no desire to return to the character or to work with Stan Lee again. He lived in a small apartment in New York City surviving off his military pension and whatever money he made from his sparse comic book work up to the time of his death on June 29th.<br />
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Steve Ditko accomplished a lot during the years he worked as a comic book artist, and his contributions will long be remembered and admired. Much like Jack Kirby, his work was highly influential and the characters he helped create have lived on for many, many years. But sadly, he appears to have been broken by the very industry he had give so much to, and after the 1960’s his contributions diminished rapidly. But characters such as Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, The Question, The Creeper, Shade the Changing Man, Squirrel Girl and more have all become essential to the companies that own them and they continue to emphasize the importance of Ditko’s contributions to the field. You can read much more about the artist and his work in the retrospective of his career <a href="https://amzn.to/2N2qP3k"><em><strong>Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko</strong></em></a>.<br />
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<strong>Available from Amazon.com:</strong><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-16186595129470462982018-04-12T07:00:00.000-05:002018-10-15T20:12:24.041-05:00Now That We Have the New Lost in Space, Here’s Several More Sci Fi Shows That Could Be Rebooted<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Tomorrow (April 13th), Netflix’s <em><strong>Lost in Space</strong></em> reboot has its premiere on the streaming service (all ten first season episodes will be available that day). And as reboot targets go, that seems like a good one because the original series is well known for having had a decent idea that morphed into what many consider one of the worst sci fi TV series of all-time (but at least it counts as one of those so-bad-its-good shows). Though early reviews are mostly mixed on the new show, this one could follow the <em><strong>Battlestar Galactica</strong></em> path of going from camp to cool and delivering a decently strong sci fi entry (after giving it some time to grow).<br />
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And while I know that the sci fi community continues to let out a collective groan over the many reboots and revivals out there, network execs are always going to prefer name recognition over a brand new property when developing shows, especially in the uber-competitive Peak TV era. With that in mind, and knowing that further reboots are inevitable, here are some suggestions of properties that could benefit from a fresh start, just like <em><strong>Lost in Space</strong></em>.<br />
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<b>Buck Rogers in the 25th Century</b><br />
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<strong>Originally Aired:</strong> NBC, 1979-81, 2 Seasons Totaling 37 Episodes<br />
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<strong>What Is It?</strong> Buck Rogers is of course the classic space opera hero who awakes from suspended animation five hundred years in the future to bring his 20th century grit against threats like the tyrannical Killer Kane as well as a society too dependent on computers. This late 70’s series starring Gil Gerrard and Erin Grey (for which Buck is best remembered today) started out as a tongue-in-cheek sci fi romp, then changed course in its second season to an ersatz <em><strong>Star Trek</strong></em> / <em><strong>Battlestar: Galactica</strong></em> hybrid.<br />
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<strong>Why Reboot It?</strong> Because its <em>Buck Rogers</em>, and seriously, how is it that we do not have a decent series (or even movie) with this character by now, especially with all the advancements in special effects? The entertainment industry loves name recognition and you don't get much more of that than with Buck <em>Godammed</em> Rogers. You don't have to do much explaining with this character and you can take him in any of a number of directions. The reboot could pay homage to the original comic strip and movie serial and take a similar tongue-in-cheek approach to the late 70's series (just hire some decent writers). It could also go the darker, <em><strong>Battlestar Galactica</strong></em> reboot direction, but then we have more than enough grim sci fi / fantasy on television at the moment, and <em><strong>The Orville</strong></em> has already shown that there is definitely an audience for a fun (but clever) space-based show.<br />
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There are currently talks of a Buck Rogers movie, but I don't know that anything is moving too quickly on that front. I'm thinking that a TV adaptation with a decent budget would play well in the States and internationally and could be almost a sure fire hit if done right (i.e., not the snooze-fest that was Syfy's <em><strong>Flash Gordon</strong></em>). It seems like almost a travesty that neither Buck nor Flash Gordon has received a deserved revival in the current age when they are such iconic characters of the sci fi genre. The time to change that is now!<br />
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<b>Gene Roddenberry’s Genesis II</b><br />
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<strong>Originally Aired:</strong> The first pilot aired in 1973 on CBS and the second pilot (<em><strong>Planet Earth</strong></em>) aired in 1974 on ABC<br />
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<strong>What Was It?</strong> This pilot for a TV series that never happened focused on scientist Dylan Hunt who, through and experiment gone awry, falls into suspended animation for 150 years (shades of Buck Rogers!). He awakes in a post-apocalyptic world where a group calling themselves PAX controls an underground system of “subshuttles” and they are trying to rebuild the world through peaceful means. A second pilot titled <em><strong>Planet Earth</strong></em> followed the first which tweaked the idea a bit but followed basically the same premise.<br />
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<strong>Why Reboot It?</strong> You can’t get much better name recognition for a sci fi show than Gene Roddenberry, and this is a mostly forgotten gem that had quite a good concept and that could have become a major genre franchise if given the chance. Consider it a grounded <em><strong>Star Trek</strong></em> of sorts as the subshuttles would have provided the means to encounter the different societies across the planet each week. And PAX would be the equivalent of the Federation, though much less organized (in the first pilot at least). Dylan Hunt (played by Alex Kord originally) offered an interesting lead as he was presented as a flawed character in <em><strong>Genesis II</strong></em> who brings far too much of his violent 20th century nature into this new world (<em><strong>Planet Earth</strong></em> subbed in John Saxon as much more of a Captain Kirk wannabe).<br />
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Keeping the original version of the Dylan Hunt character would allow for more dramatic potential and moral dilemmas with a storyline following his attempts to overcome his violent nature. The show could work in plenty of stand-alone stories similar to the original <em><strong>Trek</strong></em> while also interweaving the over-arching story that the sci fi audience has come to expect these days. The premise definitely presents a wide range of possibilities and looks just as capable of sustaining an ongoing series today as it did when the pilot first bowed back in the 1973.<br />
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<b>Land of the Lost</b><br />
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<strong>Originally Aired:</strong> NBC Saturday Mornings 1974-76, 3 Seasons Totaling 43 Episodes<br />
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<strong>What Is It?</strong> You know the story behind this one. “Marshall, Will, and Holly, on a routine expedition, and the greatest earthquake ever known . . . “ causes them to fall through a inter-dimensional portal and enter into the closed universe known as the “Land of the Lost” populated by dinosaurs, the lizard-like Sleestak, the monkey-like Pakuni, and more.<br />
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<strong>Why Reboot It?</strong> Sure, this series was super-cheesy, even for its sfx-challenged era (though they did do a bang up job on the dinosaur stop motion). It also had plenty of cutsey and/or angsty family-skewed stories, and sometimes you just wanted to put a muzzle on the ever-whining Holly. But <em><strong>Star Trek</strong></em> veteran David Gerrold had been brought onboard early to flesh out the mythology of the <em><strong>Land of the Lost</strong></em> and also to establish an over-arching theme for the series. That quickly became a strengthand helped it rise above being just another kids’ show on Saturdays. The pylons that tied together and controlled the land, the tragic history or the Sleestak, the many visitors that passed through this universe, and more all made for some interesting stories and a nice break from the family-centric episodes. Plus, Gerrold brought science fiction writers such as Larry Niven, Norman Spinrad, Ben Bova, and more into the fold to pen some to the episodes.<br />
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Those strengths are what the reboot should key on, and today’s CGI could easily bring the world of the <em><strong>Land of the Lost</strong></em> to life. Many of us have fond memories of the show as one of the few decent sci fi entries airing at a time when the genre was considered anathema on television. Done right, a reboot of this show could turn into a great sci fi series. (What big screen reboot? You must be hallucinating. Never happened . . .)<br />
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<b>The Starlost</b><br />
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<strong>Originally Aired:</strong> Syndication, 1973-74, 1 Season Totaling 16 Episodes<br />
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<strong>What Is It?</strong> This mid-1970's TV series was set on the multi-generational colony starship named <em>Earthship Ark</em> that is comprised of multiple dome enclosures, each housing a different society from Earth. The ship was sent out to space to save the last remnants of humanity from a dying planet, but an accident caused it to go into emergency mode and cut off each dome from the rest. Now, hundreds of years later, the people have forgotten their original mission and live their lives in their isolated domes. But three people discover the interior of the ship and the truth of its mission and also learn that the <em>Ark</em> is on a perilous course.<br />
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<strong>Why Reboot It?</strong> This show had a promising concept as evidenced by the award-winning script for the pilot--written by sci fi legend Harlan Ellison--and it aired in syndication where <em><strong>Star Trek</strong></em> had become a huge hit at that point in the 70’s. But the technical limitations of television at that time couldn’t quite realize the show’s ambitions (despite having Douglas Trumbull onboard as sfx consultant) and the studio had a much more dumbed-down vision for the show. Plus, they cut the budget and switched from film to video tape (like classic <em><strong>Doctor Who</strong></em>) at the last minute, making it even more difficult to follow the show’s original plan.<br />
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Ellison’s initial script was recently adapted to comics (IDW’s <a href="https://amzn.to/2GTaVFY"><em><strong>Phoenix Without Ashes</strong></em></a>), proving that there was a good idea in place when this thing started. And with the technical advancements since the original aired (leaps and bounds above 1970’s sfx), this idea would work quite well on television today. It could do dome-of-the week stories which would be less costly and give it somewhat of an episodic feel similar to <em><strong>Star Trek: TOS</strong></em> while also working in an overall story arc involving the ship’s mission. With the recent space opera revival, this one would fit in quite well.<br />
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<b>Ark II</b><br />
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<strong>Originally Aired: </strong>CBS, 1978, 1 Season Totaling 15 Episodes<br />
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<strong>What Is It?</strong> Another 70’s Saturday morning show, this one followed a group of scientists (and their talking chimpanzee) who travel around post-apocalyptic America in the high-tech vehicle of the title in an attempt to bring civilization back to the world.<br />
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<strong>Why Reboot It?</strong> Okay, I know this one isn’t going to happen because it’s too obscure of a show, but stay with me here. Like <em><strong>Land of the Lost</strong></em>, this was one of the few sci fi shows on TV at the time it aired in the 70’s. And surprisingly, this one holds up much better than you might think. It’s true that it pandered to the younger audience and could be a bit preachy with its non-violence and science-will-save-the-world themes. But it still managed to work in some decent stories that were more than just Saturday morning fodder.<br />
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I’d love to see this done as a sequel to the original where they have found that peaceful answers don’t always work, especially when humanity has been reduced to a state of nature. But they still have a hope that they can get there and have to work through some moral quandaries where idealism clashes with reality. I think it would be a great show, but I am probably in the minority there and doubt that any of the networks would take a flyer on this one.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-42318504479497909402018-04-04T10:14:00.000-05:002018-11-09T10:14:49.174-06:00Sci Fi Short Theater: The Oceanmaker. Blackstar Warrior, and Planet Unknown<b>The Oceanmaker</b><br />
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<strong>Description:</strong> After the seas have disappeared, a courageous pilot fights against vicious sky pirates for control of the last remaining source of water: the clouds. Winner of Best Animated Short Film at Phoenix Film Festival, WorldFest Houston, Belize International Film Festival. Learn more about the film and buy the DVD at <a href="http://www.mightycoconut.com/the-oceanmaker">www.mightycoconut.com/the-oceanmaker</a>.<br />
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<strong>Writer/Director:</strong> Lucas Martell<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong> This is a beautifully animated and quite touching film. A bleak look at a world where people must fight for water, but it comes with a touch of hope and ingenuity.
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<b>Blackstar Warrior</b><br />
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<strong>Description:</strong> In a 1970s version of the future, an egotistical space detective struggles to solve his biggest missing-persons case: finding his birth mother. After his parents' deaths, space detective Tyson Roderick discovers their secret genetics lab and partners with his trusty funbot Alphie in a desperate quest to rid the galaxy of evil while searching for the secret of his origins - and his long-lost mother.<br />
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<strong>Credits:</strong> Matt Haley (Writer / Director), Simon Ore’ (Writer)<br />
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<strong>Starring:</strong> Leonard Roberts, Mindy Machen, Ire Wardlaw, Spencer Conway<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong> Cheesy throwback sci fi TV meets Blaxploitation films, this one is a ton of fun. Hoping for more adventures of the <em><strong>Blackstar Warrior</strong></em>.
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<b>Planet Unknown</b><br />
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<strong>Description:</strong> Facing global resource depletion, mankind sends out Space Rovers to find potentially inhabitable planets.<br />
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<strong>Credits:</strong> Shawn Wang (Director / Writer)<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong> This beautifully animated film is basically <em><strong>WALL-E</strong></em> in reverse, and it gets a lot of mileage from its premise. This one could potentially be expanded into a feature film.
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-71820397480272256902018-03-22T07:00:00.000-05:002018-10-15T17:12:46.327-05:00Movie Review: Mute<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<strong>Rating:</strong> 3 out of 5 Stars<br />
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<b>Bottom Line:</b> This movie essentially delivers a crime drama in a futuristic setting, but its visuals and strong performances make it worth a look<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwOSuGFpFA27-_2X7KbNug31yvn1QMuN0Z8pghCktn0qQbEZjIC6GmAH0NiaifLhv8ZNcycIqvJq6z9lC0VJ1QChBcWoYpdYGE_HdP69mQQMc_MT1b0YIaMJWD9kVv9S8aOV6riUzDfJa/s1600/mute-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwOSuGFpFA27-_2X7KbNug31yvn1QMuN0Z8pghCktn0qQbEZjIC6GmAH0NiaifLhv8ZNcycIqvJq6z9lC0VJ1QChBcWoYpdYGE_HdP69mQQMc_MT1b0YIaMJWD9kVv9S8aOV6riUzDfJa/s320/mute-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
<em><strong>Mute</strong></em> is the latest film from Duncan Jones (<em><strong>Moon</strong></em>, <em><strong>Source Code</strong></em>) and debuted exclusively on Netflix on February 23rd. It follows an Amish man named Leo (played by <em><strong>True Blood</strong></em>'s Alexander Skarsgard) who lost his ability to speak due to a childhood accident. As an adult, he chooses to move to Berlin where he takes a job as a bartender and meets a waitress named Naadirah (played by newcomer Seyneb Saleh). They develop a relationship, but she mysteriously disappears and Leo finds himself mixed up in the city's underworld trying desperately to find the woman he loves.<br />
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The film mixes a <em><strong>Blade Runner</strong></em>-like setting with a crime drama plot and delivers some excellent performances, especially from Alexander Skarsgard who plays against type. It also mixes in plenty of sci fi Easter Eggs and references along with homages to genre and non-genre films (if you get a very Elliot Gould / Donald Sutherland <em><strong>M*A*S*H</strong></em> vibe from Cactus Bill and Duck, that was the intention). But coming from director Duncan Jones, best known for his sci fi films, this movie might be somewhat of a let down to his fans.<br />
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It definitely gets the sci fi look and feel right, but it is essentially a crime drama in a futuristic setting. The genre elements are just window dressing and add very little to the story. It's not a bad film, though, and the performances carry it through its two hour run time. As crime dramas go, I thought it was interesting enough. But for the sci fi audience—who will definitely be attracted to this because of Jones’ involvement—it lacks the punch they will expect from the accomplished director.<br />
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Jones actually started working on <em><strong>Mute</strong></em> before he did <em><strong>Moon</strong></em>, and it was originally intended as a British gangster film. It went into development Hell, though, and he turned his attention to <em><strong>Moon</strong></em> which was his directorial debut and is now considered a sci fi classic. He returned to <em><strong>Mute</strong></em> and eventually changed it to its futuristic setting while also calling it a “spiritual successor” to <em><strong>Moon</strong></em>. But apart from a quick Easter Egg and that fact that it is supposed to take place in the same universe, <em><strong>Mute</strong></em> has very little thematic connection to his first film. It was originally intended for a theatrical release, but instead Netflix picked it up and is streaming it exclusively worldwide.<br />
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I found the movie to be entertaining if a bit lacking on the story side. But it offers plenty of reward for those who want to seek out all the references, homages, and quirky inclusions through multiple viewings. I could definitely see giving this one another go to catch some of those details and to see if there might be some substance I missed the first time around. Others may not have the patience for that. It is still worth your time to watch it through one time, especially if you are a fan of Jones, Skarsgard, and/or Paul Rudd. Just be sure to adjust expectations and you should find this to be a decent distraction if not a rather entertaining film.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-71333051596585347542018-02-20T07:00:00.000-06:002018-10-15T17:18:21.855-05:00Did Jack Kirby Create Black Panther and Other Major Marvel Characters or Did Stan Lee?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The <em><strong>Black Panther</strong></em> movie hit the theaters this past weekend, setting all sorts of Box Office records as once again the Marvel Universe proves itself a franchise to be reckoned with both in terms of quality and revenue. The Black Panther character first appeared in the <em><strong>Fantastic Four</strong></em> comic book in 1966 (issue #52) while artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee were at the height of their partnership helming the books that helped establish Marvel as a major player in the field. Among the other characters and teams that originated with those two were Thor, the Hulk, The Fantastic Four, The X-Men, and Ant Man (Captain America sprung from Kirby's partnership with Joe Simon in the 1940's, and Kirby had at least a hand in the creation of Iron Man). The question that has been raised many times is whether these characters truly came from a collaboration between Kirby and Lee, or was one of the two more instrumental in the creative process. That is hard question to give a definitive answer to, and both men have had their say over the years. But if you look back at the accomplishments of Jack Kirby over his life, I believe you can get a good picture of where the majority of the creative force came from for Black Panther and many of the Marvel characters he worked on.<br />
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During his career, Jack Kirby worked in two acclaimed partnerships--with Joe Simon then with Stan Lee--and he worked on his own. During that time, some of the best known characters in the world of comics came into existence including Captain America, the Boy Commandos, The Challengers of the Unknown, The Fantastic Four, Thor, The Hulk, Darkseid and the New Gods, Kamandi, the Eternals, and many, many more. But was Jack Kirby the primary creative driving force on these (the answer is yes with the last three mentioned above), or did his partners do more of the creating while Kirby just fleshed out the concepts?<br />
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There seems to be little doubt about how it worked with the first team that Kirby participated in. Joe Simon was also a writer and artist and the two appeared to work closely together, bouncing ideas off one another and picking up where the other left off. However, despite their similar talents, it is also often accepted that Jack Kirby focused more of his energies on the creative side while Mr. Simon handled more of the business matters (including negotiating with the publishers for a percentage of the profits for the books they worked on). But after they parted ways in the late 50’s, Joe Simon produced little of note in the years that followed. True he had mostly exited from the comics industry to work in advertising, but he still did some work on the Archie Comics line of superheroes in the early 60’s (with an assist from Kirby) and also later produced some long forgotten titles for DC like <em><strong>Brother Power, the Geek</strong></em> and <em><strong>Prez</strong></em>. By 1960, Joe Simon had mostly faded from significance in the comics scene, but Jack Kirby was just getting started.<br />
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After the Simon and Kirby team split, Jack Kirby did some work for DC and Atlas (soon to become Marvel) to bide his time. During this period, he worked on an assortment of monster, sci fi, and western titles, but also created for DC the Challengers of the Unknown series (allegedly with some help from Dave Wood). He then went onboard full time at Atlas where he and Stan Lee would eventually team up to create the infamous Marvel Universe beginning with the Fantastic Four.<br />
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As this period began, Stan Lee claimed to have devised a process of creating comic books called “The Marvel Method” in which the writer and artist would pow-wow over an idea and come up with a basic summary for a story. The artist (usually Jack Kirby) would then work from this outline and the writer (usually Stan Lee) would then provide the final script for the book. This was how the majority of Marvel titles were produced from the 60’s and on. And this was how Stan Lee was able to attach his name as writer to so many titles during the heyday of Marvel’s rise to fame. And this is also what has led to much controversy over how much creative input Stan Lee had on the Marvel titles he became famous for.<br />
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Jack Kirby was already recognized by this time as a creative dynamo, whereas Stan Lee was known more as a hack writer producing mostly second-rate, knock-off stories for the struggling Atlas line of comics. Did the pairing of these two really lead to some of the most renown comics in the history of the industry? And was it just a coincidence that their first collaboration, <em><strong>The Fantastic Four</strong></em>, was really just a re-imagining of Kirby’s recent creation, <em><strong>The Challengers of the Unknown</strong></em>, with superpowers? Many have suggested that the majority of the creative production during the beginning of the Marvel Era came from Jack Kirby while Stan Lee mostly just worked PR and took credit for what happened. In an interview later in his life, Kirby went so far as to claim that Lee never wrote a word and that it was he that created all of the Marvel characters including Spider-Man.<br />
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Few people will believe that view of history, but when you start to look at Kirby’s output later in the sixties and how this suggested what would follow from the artist in the seventies, it’s easy to accept him as the dominant creative force in the partnership during that time. When you consider the cosmic themes that began to dominate the <em><strong>Fantastic Four</strong></em> and <em><strong>Thor</strong></em> titles, you see Jack Kirby coming through loud and clear. And it is no secret that as the sales of Marvel titles began to explode during the sixties, Stan Lee become much more pre-occupied with non-creative matters and leaned more heavily on his artists to carry on with the story-telling (Steve Ditko, co-creator of Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, left Marvel in part because of this).<br />
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Ultimately, it is difficult not to acknowledge Jack Kirby as co-creator of most if not all of the titles he worked on for Marvel, and it also seems apparent that he heavily influenced the overall tone and direction of the titles he stuck with such as <em><strong>FF</strong></em> and <em><strong>Thor</strong></em> (and I would say that the later issues of those title are mostly Kirby, with Stan just adding some dialogue). And you also have to acknowledge that once Kirby left Marvel in 1970, Stan Lee created little of note from that point forward. Kirby, on the other hand, just moved on into the next phase of his career where he produced such renowned books as the <em><strong>Fourth World</strong></em> series, <em><strong>Kamandi</strong></em>, <em><strong>The Demon</strong></em>, and <em><strong>The Eternals</strong></em>. And while these may not have been the commercial successes of the Marvel titles he worked on during the previous decade, they have gone on to be well remembered titles and the characters have become integral to the companies that produced them.<br />
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In any case, you cannot deny that Jack Kirby was a creative force to reckon with. Whether the partnerships he worked in energized his creative muse or whether he commanded the driver’s seat when producing stories, his vigor is renown. Stan Lee likely provided input, as did Joe Simon before him, but Kirby ran with the stories and characters and made them very much his own, especially from the mid-60's forward. Jack Kirby’s imagination is boundless and whether working alone or in a team, he created lasting tales and beloved characters that have lived on and cemented his legacy as a great creator.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-73146828614993433852018-02-12T07:00:00.000-06:002018-10-15T17:26:17.287-05:00Television Review: Britannia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<strong>Rating: </strong>3 out of 5 Stars<br />
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<b>Bottom Line:</b> This series obviously wants to be a Celtic re-working of <b><i>Game of Thrones</i></b>, but it has enough original ideas to demonstrate some potential<br />
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<em><strong>Britannia</strong></em> is a new fantasy series that comes as part of a join venture between Amazon and Sky Atlantic (it debuted on January 26th in the States and on January 18th in Britain). The series follows the Roman general Aulus Plautius (played by David Morrissey) who arrives in Britain in 43 AD with plans of extending Rome's influence into the lands that Julius Caesar fled from in years prior. But he must contend with the mysterious Druids led by the "second man" Veran (brought to life creepily by Mackenzie Crook) as well as the warring Cantii and Regni clans led by King Pellinor (Ian McDiarmid) and Queen Antedia (Zoë Wanamaker) respectively. Also impacting Aulus' plans are two people that are part of a prophecy relating to the fate of Britannia, the young girl Cait (Eleanor Worthington Cox) and the cast out druid Divis (Nikolaj Lie Kaas).<br />
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<em><strong>Britannia</strong></em> is definitely epic in scope and certainly goes for a <em><strong>Game of Thrones</strong></em> vibe, though it does not quite meet the bar set by that acclaimed series. Not that it is a bad show, but it quite obviously tries to follow in the path of <em><strong>GoT</strong></em> with its grand story, many factions, expanded cast, and moral quandaries, but may leave some viewers wanting a bit more to chew on. Give it credit for not trying to create Westeros 2.0, though, as it delves into celtic history and mythology and establishes its own, fairly well-defined world. And the show is an enjoyable enough watch even if it does bog down from time to time over its nine-episode first season run.<br />
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Morrissey definitely holds his own amidst this cast of many and shows some depth that his role as The Governor on <em><strong>The Walking Dead</strong></em> never allowed him to explore. He starts off very much in scenery-chewing mode, but settles into the role after a couple of episodes and allows his rather complex character to slowly unfold. Kelly Reilly goes toe-to-toe with Morrissey as the show's females lead Kerra, a warrior woman who has a level of responsibility cast on her that she does not expect or necessarily want. But the stand-out performances in the show come from Eleanor Worthington Cox and Nikolaj Lie Kaas who play the pair at the focus of a prophecy. Cait is certainly a spiritual cousin to Lyanna Mormont and Divis starts out seeming like the village outcast but reveals that there is dark and tragic side to his character. Together they have a palpable chemistry and their verbal sparring is great fun.<br />
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<strong>SPOILERS AHEAD! Skip this paragraph to avoid.</strong> I did take issue with the one major death that occurred in the final episode. Killing off Kerra is certainly this show's Ned Stark-type turn, but it didn't quite have the same impact. Ned Stark had such an important role from the beginning of <em><strong>Game of Thrones</strong></em>, and when he died it showed that following the path of honor and right is not the way to survive in the land of Westeros politics. His death then carried over into the rest of the story as Ned lives on through the example he set for his children and they struggle with doing the right thing vs. what is expedient. Kerra, however, seemed to be batted around by controlling forces beyond her power, and the importance of her character was not established well enough beyond Kelly Reilly's stand out performance. So ultimately, her death seemed to be used for shock factor instead of advancing the story; something that has become all to prevalent with serialized television these days. It is possible she could return in Obi Wan fashion, considering the magic and mysticism present in that world, and perhaps redeem the character. But at this point, her death just seemed empty.<br />
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Ultimately, <em><strong>Britannia</strong></em> definitely has promise and could develop into a decent fantasy series over time. That's assuming that Amazon will give it that time as the streaming service has two more epic fantasy shows in the works in their <em><strong>Lord of the Rings</strong></em> prequel and just-announced <em><strong>Conan</strong></em> series. As mentioned above, <em><strong>Britannia</strong></em> comes as part of a partnership with Sky Atlantic, so perhaps that will help keep it going and it definitely has a strong British feel so it may have more appeal to audiences across the Atlantic. It is worth a look for fantasy fans, especially those looking for something to fill the void while waiting for the final season of <em><strong>Game of Thrones</strong></em>. It doesn't quite match up to the accomplishments of that series, but it doesn't have to in order to be considered a decent genre entry.<br />
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Join <em><strong>Amazon Prime</strong></em> to Watch <em><strong>Britinnia</strong></em>, <em><strong>The Tick</strong></em>, <em><strong>The Man in the High Castle</strong></em>, and More:<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-41383745947542698082017-12-07T07:00:00.000-06:002018-10-15T20:33:27.954-05:00Extinct and Missions Are Two Science Fiction TV Shows Worth Watching<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There are two science fiction shows (actual <em>science fiction</em>, no fantasy) airing/streaming this season that have not received a lot of attention but that should be finding themselves on people’s watch-list. One is Orson Scott Card’s <strong><em>Extinct</em></strong> which is running on BYU TV and the other is the French-made series <strong><em>Missions</em></strong> which is on AMC’s streaming service Shudder with English subtitles. Both have gone mostly unnoticed in the Peak TV crunch but are worth a look as shows that try to deliver well-crafted science fiction tales.<br />
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<b>Extinct</b><br />
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<b>What Is It?</b> This series takes place in a distant future after the human race has been wiped out by an alien invasion. A mysterious obelisk and its drones revive a group of humans using their “brain states” that were captured before they died in the invasion. Now these humans must build a new world in a hostile environment with unexpected enemies. It comes from science fiction writers Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnston and stars Chad Michael Collins, Victoria Atkin, Yorke Fryer, and Matthew Bellows. It airs on BYU TV and the entire first season is currently available for streaming at their <a href="https://www.byutv.org/extinct">website</a>.<br />
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<b>Why You Should Watch It:</b> <strong><em>Extinct</em></strong> has proven to be an interesting show thus far despite its limited budget and sometimes rather stilted acting (and did they raid a Renaissance Fare overstock shop for the wardrobe?). It reminds me a bit of the 70’s post-apocalyptic shows like <strong><em>Genesis II/Planet Earth</em></strong>, <strong><em>Logan’s Run</em></strong> (TV Series), and <strong><em>Ark II</em></strong>, though without the society of the week format. The show also has the <strong><em>Lost</em></strong>-style mysteries-upon-mysteries we have come to expect from a sci fi entry these days, but they seem to be pretty well thought out (instead of made up on the fly) and we get bits of answers with each episode. And unlike shows that throw in sci fi just as an excuse to do whatever the writers feel like (hello CW entries), this one appears to be establishing a set of rules based in some semblance of science and sticking to them. It also avoids too much in the way of copy-and-paste dialogue, though the scripts do slide in that direction occasionally or at times just feels trite.<br />
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Some may be scared away by the fact that it airs on BYU TV, but that appears to be due the Orson Scott Card Mormon connection. It does deal with themes relating to free will and family that could be given a religious spin, but the show has not gone that direction thus far, and some of that may be there by request of the network to give it a family-friendly feel. Remember that Card keeps his faith (and rather controversial prejudices) mostly out of his novels, and I expect the same in this show. And co-creator Aaron Johnston has a science fiction background as well, having worked with Card for many years. This one is definitely worth checking out as a decent science fiction entry on television, just be sure to adjust expectations as far as budget and production values go. If you don’t have BYU TV as part of your cable/satellite package (DirecTV has it in their basic plan), you can stream the show for free and without commercials <a href="https://www.byutv.org/extinct">at this link</a>.<br />
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The first season wrapped up its major arc, but there is plenty more story to explore with this show. Aaron Johnston is currently urging viewers to contact BYU TV to request a second season. More on that <a href="https://wp.me/p4aGRF-3vA">at this link</a>.<br />
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<b>Missions</b><br />
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<b>What Is It?</b> <strong><em>Missions</em></strong> is a French-made series (with English subtitles) that follows a privately funded expedition that takes the long journey to Mars. Once they arrive there, though, they make an amazing discovery that changes everything they know about the Red Planet. It stars Hélène Viviès, Clément Aubert, Mathias Mlekuz, and Arben Bajraktaraj and it is available online at AMC's <a href="https://www.shudder.com/">Shudder streaming service</a>.<br />
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<b>Why You Should Watch It:</b> The synopsis above is brief and mostly spoiler free because the twists and turns come early and quick in this series. It reminds me some of 2009’s <strong><em>Defying Gravity</em></strong>, though with less of the soap opera subplots. And while the first episode does go heavy on soap opera, but that it just to establish a baseline with the main characters and it shifts to a straight science fiction tale pretty quickly. The CGI for this one is decent considering it is a television production, though don’t expect the same quality you would see from a blockbuster movie. As the show progresses, it seems to introduce supernatural elements, but they have tried to stick with science as the basis for most explanations, and I believe they will remain on that path.<br />
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The episodes are only about 25 minutes or less and there are ten eps in the show’s first season (a second season is already in the works). If you don’t want to shell out the money for a subscription to Shudder (it’s only five bucks a month), you can do the one week free trial and binge the show pretty quickly. I went ahead and paid for the first month and checked out some of the other offerings on the service (it has a horror/suspense focus) which included <em><strong>Neil Gaiman's Likely Stories</strong></em>. <em><strong>Missions</strong></em> is definitely worth checking as a decent science fiction entry and I will be looking forward to the second season which is scheduled to arrive at some point in 2018.
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-20941110820606154802017-10-18T07:00:00.000-05:002018-10-15T20:50:55.327-05:00Here's Why You Should Be Watching The Orville<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
FOX's new comedy / science fiction series <i>The Orville</i> (airs Thursdays 9 PM EST) from Seth McFarlane is just under halfway through its thirteen-episode first season and has been getting some good buzz from from the sci fi community. While many did not know what to expect from this show before it started, it has established itself as a <i>Star Trek</i>-like show with a sense of humor and has delivered interesting characters and stories that should have plenty of appeal to genre fans. It has developed a following, but could use more viewers to help bolster its ratings. For those who have not seen it yet, this coming Thursday is the perfect jumping on point as FOX will be repeating the first episode that sets up the premise of the show.<br />
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<b>What Is <i>The Orville</i>?</b><br />
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Following is FOX's official logline for the show:<br />
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'The Orville' is a one-hour science fiction series set 400 years in the future that follows the adventures of the U.S.S. Orville, a mid-level exploratory vessel. Its crew, both human and alien, faces the wonders and dangers of outer space, while also dealing with the familiar, often humorous problems of regular people in a workplace…even though some of those people are from other planets, and the workplace is a faster-than-light spaceship.</blockquote>
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And if that sounds like <i><b>The Office</b></i> meets <i><b>Star Trek</b></i> to you, I think that is pretty much what they were going for originally with this show. But, whether intentional or not, it has developed into much more through its sixth episode.<br />
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Basically, take an episode of <i><b>Star Trek: The Next Generation</b></i> and add more humor to the scripts and the pretty much describes <i><b>The Orville</b></i>. That doesn't necessarily mean that it is a <i>parody</i> of Trek, at least once you get past the first episode. The show has actually delivered some pretty good science fiction stories thus far (much better than the first season of <i><b>TNG</b></i>, in fact), it just adds more humor. And the look and feel of the show is so close to <i><b>TNG</b></i>, that I'm surprised CBS has not threatened an infringement lawsuit (perhaps claiming the parody angle gives them a loophole).<br />
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And one of the most important things <i><b>The Orville</b></i> does in the <i><b>Star Trek</b></i> tradition is deliver stand-alone stories. No complicated story arcs here with mysteries upon mysteries murking up the episodes. These are close-ended stories that wrap up before the ending credits. That is why jumping on with the pilot (for character introductions) then skipping to the seventh episode is not a problem. That will be just the latest story of the week, and you can catch up with the others in repeat season (or on Hulu).<br />
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<b>Who Is Aboard <i>The Orville</i>?</b>
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Seth McFarlane (of <i><b>Family Guy</b></i> fame) is the creator of the series and he also stars as Captain Ed Mercer. But take note for those of you who can't stand <i><b>Family Guy</b></i> (I count myself in those ranks), that the more subtle humor on <i><b>The Orville</b></i> is about as far from that animated series as possible.<br />
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The ship's first officer Commander Kelly Grayson is played by Adrianne Palicki, and she just happens to be Mercer's ex-wife. That of course seemed like one of those sitcom setups at the beginning show, designed to contrive excuses for humor. But it hasn't quite worked out that way as Palicki and McFarlane have demonstrated a definite onscreen chemistry as characters who care about each other despite their irreconcilable differences, and the ex-spouse verbal sparring has added plenty of good lines.<br />
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Peter Macon plays the very Worf-like Lt. Commander Bortus, though his character is gay as are all the members of his male-only race (and one episode has already addressed that in a very interesting way). Mark Jackson plays the Spock/Data stand-in Isaac who shows some potential to develop into a character in his own right in upcoming episodes.<br />
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Scott Grimes and J. Lee play the helmsmen / navigator duo, both coming off as slackers who know how to answer the call to action when needed. Halston Sage plays the alien, butt-kicking Chief of Security Lt. Alara Kitan, and while she may draw some comparisons to Tasha Yar, she has managed to put her own unique spin on the tough female character. Penny Johnson Jerald plays Dr. Claire Finn and brings a refreshing new take on the ship's doctor character.<br />
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<b>Why You Should Be Watching <i>The Orville</i></b><br />
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Because it is a good show that is both funny and engaging and finds that right balance between humor and good sci fi story-telling. Because it is a throwback to the best years of the <i><b>Star Trek</b></i> franchise, but delivers its own spin that keeps it from being just a retread. Because it is refreshingly positive amidst today's other genre shows that embrace a darker vision and/or have become overly complicated with dense mythology. And because it is much closer to the spirit of <i><b>Star Trek</b></i>, particularly <i><b>TNG</b></i> and <i><b>TOS</b></i>, than that franchises current entry <i><b>Discovery</b></i> (though that show has plenty of its own merits).<br />
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<i><b>The Orville</b></i> may be a bit hard for some to swallow if they like their science fiction deadly serious, which was the approach that <i><b>TNG</b></i> and the other <i><b>Trek</b></i> spin-off series typically took. And it may seem a bit odd to some because it doesn't have the ongoing, serialized story that has come to be expected from sci fi shows these days. But actually, those are its <i>strengths</i> and are the very reasons that people <i>should</i> be watching the show. Don't take this one too seriously, but know that is does have the chops to deliver a good sci fi tale.<br />
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<b>Is <i>The Orville</i> In Ratings Jail?</b><br />
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Not just yet, but it could use some more viewers. The show actually got out to a strong start with two early Fall airings on Sunday nights that had NFL football as a lead-in. Its numbers dropped notably when it moved to its regular Thursday 9 PM EST timeslot, but that had to be expected. Competition is stiff on that night with football on CBS as well as ABC's always popular dramas, and with Gotham fading in its fourth season, it does not offer much of a lead-in from the 8 PM hour. But FOX had to know that <i>The Orville</i> would have challenges on that night, and hopefully they are doing a counter-programming measure similar to what they did years ago with <i>Fringe</i>. They stood by that show when it had mediocre to poor ratings on Thursdays and later Fridays, and maybe they will do the same with McFarlane's show.<br />
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But the network will want to know that there is a dedicated audience out there that will follow and support the show. The best way to show support for <i>The Orville</i> if you are not a Nielsen family is to live tweet during the broadcast airings and also continue to promote the show on the social networks throughout the week to help bring it more exposure. Also, watch it online at FOX.com or at Hulu, because you are counted in those views (whereas Nielsen ignores you unless you have their magic monitoring device).<br />
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<b>Is <i>The Orville</i> The Next Great Sci Fi Show?</b><br />
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It's hard to make that assessment at this early point in the show's run, but it definitely has promise. It falls right in line with the <i>Star Trek</i>-like shows without being a direct copy, and it is really a breath of fresh air among the current crop of genre shows. <i>The Orville</i>'s format also offers it plenty of room to grow and improve across multiple seasons and this one is sure to develop a loyal following.<br />
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But if we want it to be more than yet another lamented "Cancelled Too Soon" sci fi entry, we need to give it our support. It is definitely an expensive series to produce and I'm sure FOX would like its numbers to be at least a bit higher. If we get the word out about this show and make sure our support counts, then I think it has a chance of surviving to a second season. We have already seen shows like <i>Timeless</i> kept alive by fan dedication, and <i>The Orville</i> is another that deserves that level of attention. So be sure to watch and support it on the social networks and hopefully we can look forward to future seasons from this show.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-49379633655658409312017-09-28T07:00:00.000-05:002018-10-15T21:00:13.397-05:00Return To Farpoint: Looking Back On The Bold Course Charted By Star Trek: The Next Generation 30 Years Ago<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Thirty years ago on September 28, 1987 the two-hour pilot episode of <em><strong>Star Trek: The Next Generation,</strong></em> "Encounter at Farpoint", had its premiere on television. That episode not only returned the <em><strong>Trek</strong></em> franchise to the small screen after nearly a twenty-year absence (not counting 1973's animated series), but it also began a major shift for sci fi as it revitalized the genre after a long period of failures and scarcity on television.<br />
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<b><em>Star Trek</em> Returns To TV!</b> The <em><strong>Trek</strong></em> franchise had already been revived on the big screen with a movie series that had delivered four installments by the time that <em><strong>TNG</strong></em> had its debut on television. But the new series ushered in a whole new generation of fans who still consider <em><strong>TNG</strong></em> the crown jewel of the franchise. It had a healthy seven-year run, outpacing its predecessor by four seasons, and delivered episodes that are now considered all-time classics for sci fi television ("A Matter of Honor", "The Best of Both Worlds", "Tin Man", "Yesterday's Enterprise", "Cause and Effect" to name just a few).<br />
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While the special effects and production values were amazing for a television series at that time and "Encounter at Farpoint" had the <em>feel</em> of a <em><strong>Star Trek</strong></em> episode, the first season did not quite fulfill on the promise of the pilot. In fact, it took a couple of seasons for the show to really find its way and to prove itself as worthy of the franchise's legacy. But the fact that it ran in syndication and did not have network execs breathing down the backs of the creative team allowed the show the leeway it needed. Few fans consider the first couple of seasons the strongest for the show, but by its third year it had hit its stride and was well on its way to becoming the flagship of the franchise in the 90's<br />
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While there may be plenty of lively debates about whether <em><strong>TNG</strong></em> or the original series are the best (and <em><strong>DS9</strong></em> fans will insist their show belongs in that conversation), the fact is that <em><strong>TNG</strong></em> really soared when delivering on all cylinders. It also had a stellar cast that was not limited to just the main characters. Considering that this show not only gave us Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Data, Worf, Riker, Troi, and the other regular cast members, it also introduced Q, the Borg, the Ferengi, the Cardassians, and more (while also expanding on the Klingons, Vulcans, and Romulans), definitely etching its legacy in sci fi lore.<br />
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<b><em>Star Trek: TNG</em> Leads The Way</b>: On top of its accomplishments as a series, many sci fi fans may not realize that <em><strong>Star Trek: The Next Generation</strong></em> also played an important part in revitalizing sci fi and fantasy on television. Since the early 1970's, sci fi had become increasingly shunned by the TV networks. And after several high-profile missteps from the mid-70's to the mid-80's such as <em><strong>Battlestar: Galactica</strong></em>, <em><strong>Buck Rogers in the 25th Century</strong></em>, and <em><strong>Amazing Stories</strong></em>, the broadcast networks turned completely away from any attempts at ambitious sci fi. The genre was typically represented by superhero shows (<em><strong>The Six-Million Dollar Man</strong></em>, <em><strong>The Incredible Hulk</strong></em>) or action/adventure entries (<em><strong>Knight Rider</strong></em>, <em><strong>Airwolf</strong></em>) that often incorporated only minimal sci fi elements into their stories. The few attempts to embrace sci fi during that time rarely lasted more than a baker's dozen worth of episodes and were often shuffled to the nether regions of the schedule.<br />
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When Paramount decided to move forward with <em><strong>Star Trek: TNG</strong></em>, the studio approached the broadcast networks but was disappointed with their lack of commitment. So the decision was made to launch the show directly to the syndication market, where the original series was already a huge success. That proved the perfect strategy and allowed the series to move forward without the interference of network execs, and also to overcome its rocky start quality-wise and eventually become one of the all-time great sci fi shows.<br />
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The success of <em><strong>TNG</strong></em> away from the big-three broadcast networks proved that there was an audience for sci fi and fantasy television which resulted in a boom of off-network genre shows hitting the small screen over the next ten-plus years. While sci fi shows rarely lasted past a season or two on ABC, CBS, and NBC from 1970 to 1987, quite a number of major genre entries enjoyed multi-year runs away from the old school nets after <em><strong>TNG</strong></em> charted the way. Here's some of the big ones: <em><strong>Babylon 5</strong></em> (five year run on PTEN and TNT), <em><strong>Star Trek: Deep Space Nine</strong></em> (seven year run in syndication), <em><strong>The X-Files</strong></em> (nine year run on the flegling FOX network), <em><strong>Hercules: The Legendary Journeys</strong></em> (six year run in syndication), <em><strong>Xena: Warrior Princess</strong></em> (six year run in syndication), <em><strong>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</strong></em> (seven year run on The WB), <em><strong>Star Trek: Voyager</strong></em> (seven year run on UPN).<br />
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Throughout the 90's sci fi and fantasy thrived on television by avoiding the Big Three networks. In fact, it would not be until 2004, when a little show called <em><strong>Lost</strong></em> proved an unexpected hit, that the broadcast networks (by then the Big Four with FOX no longer the upstart) would finally start to give sci fi and fantasy a chance again on their schedules. But in the mean time, <em><strong>Star Trek: The Next Generation</strong></em> had led the way for the genre to expand and prove itself in the years after its 1987 debut.<br />
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Today, there are over one hundred sci fi and fantasy shows on television, with some of them destined to be considered classics such as <em><strong>Game of Thrones</strong></em>, <em><strong>Westworld</strong></em>, <em><strong>The Handmaid's Tale</strong></em>, <em><strong>The Man in the High Castle</strong></em>, and more. But there was a time when you could barely find half a dozen genre shows on the schedule and there was little hope that they would last long. <em><strong>Star Trek: TNG</strong></em> helped guide us out of that wasteland, and in the process established itself as an all-time great for the genre and television in general.<br />
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<strong>Buy Star Trek: The Next Generation on Blu-ray and DVD from Amazon.com:</strong><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-64517101063311505092016-12-07T07:29:00.000-06:002016-12-07T07:29:47.874-06:00Babylon 5 Re-Watch: Episodes 13-16 Give Us One Important Story Arc Entry, But Then a Lot of Treading Water<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">The <b>Babylon 5</b> <a href="http://johnnyjaysays.blogspot.com/2016/07/i-would-rather-be-watching-babylon-5.html" style="color: #7d181e; text-decoration: none;">re-watch</a> is on! These are my thoughts on the episodes as I work my way through the full five seasons (plus the movies).</i><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">I got derailed from this because I end up watching a lot more Fall sci fi TV than I expected. But I will keep pushing forward and I still get more enjoyment re-watching <b><i>B5</i></b> than tuning in for a lot of the currently airing shows.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><b>S1 Ep 13:</b> “Signs and Portents”</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Increased Raider activity starts to threaten the traffic coming in and out of Babylon 5. Meanwhile, Londo hosts some important guests from his homeworld as the mysterious man named Mr. Morden approaches the ambassadors asking cryptic questions. You can read the full synopsis <a href="http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/Signs_and_Portents">at this link</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><b>Essential Viewing:</b> Yes. This episode represents the entry of the Shadows, if just briefly, into the story arc.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><b>Comments:</b> While the episode itself may not be one of the better <b><i>B5</i></b> entries, “Signs and Portents” definitely starts moving things forward. We get our first introduction to Mr. Morden who appears much more of a bothersome nuisance here and much less of the sinister presence he will later become. We also get our first glimpse of the shadows as well as prophecies of the dark times to come. Plus, Sinclair attempts to find out more about what happened during that 24 hours when he blacked out at the Battle of the Line. All of that is interesting and has important ties to later events. But the pivotal moment of the episode (and actually a major turning point for the show) comes when Londo finally answers Mr. Morden’s question “what do you want?” The answer that the Centauri ambassador gives is both moving and chilling, even if we don’t quite understand its significance at this point. This episode really gets the ball rolling with some major developments and is essential to the overall story.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><b>S1 Ep 14:</b> “TKO”</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">On old friend of Mr. Garibaldi’s arrives on Babylon 5 with plans of competing in an alien fighting circuit. Meanwhile, Ivanova receives a visit from her former Rabbi who wants her to make peace with her father’s death. You can read the full synopsis <a href="http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/TKO">at this link</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><b>Essential Viewing:</b> No. It has some nice character development, but it’s not a must-watch episode.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><b>Comments:</b> This is another mostly stand-alone episode, though it focuses on two of the best human characters, Mr. Garibaldi and Susan Ivanova. With the latter, we get a good look at Susan’s past and why she has issues with her family. And we get a further look at Mr. Garibaldi’s past as well. It’s a decent enough episode and doesn’t feel <i>too much</i> like treading water, but you won’t be missing much if you skip it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><b>S1 Ep 15:</b> “Grail”</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">A man arrives on Babylon 5 in search of the Holy Grail and is given a special reception by Delenn. Meanwhile, a down-on-his-luck inhabitant of “Down Below” is being black-mailed to provide information that he knows about the station. You can read the full synopsis <a href="http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/Grail">at this link</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><b>Essential Viewing:</b> No. It’s an okay stand-alone episode, but not a must-watch.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><b>Comments:</b> The best part of this episode is David Warner’s performance as the grail-seeker Aldous Gajic. So often Warner has had roles as the heavy, so it is nice to see him play a more sympathetic character. Apart from that, the episode gives us a little bit more background on the previous Babylon stations and we also learn that the Minbarri religious and warrior castes do not get along. Plus we get a glimpse of the internal workings of the station and some of the seedier sections that it contains. It’s worth watching the episode mostly for Warner’s performance, but if you skip it you won’t miss much of significance to the ongoing arc.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><b>S1 Ep 16:</b> “Eyes”</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">The Babylon 5 command staff find themselves under investigation by Earth Force. You can read the full synopsis <a href="http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/Eyes">at this link</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><b>Essential Viewing:</b> Not Really. We learn more about the internal conflicts within the Earth government and it gives some more character development, but it can be skipped.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><b>Comments:</b> With 22 episodes per season, JMS had the time to really explore some of the background to his story, and this episode pads that out further. The key work there, though, is padding. We learn more about Ivanova’s aversion to the Psi Corp and some more about the main human characters, but there is a sense of treading water by this point. And sadly, the human antagonist--Colonel Ben Zayn--is all too cartoonish once again (like “By Any Means Necessary”, more on that <a href="http://johnnyjaysays.blogspot.com/2016/10/babylon-5-re-watch-episodes-9-12.html">at this link</a>), though the Psi Corp officer is at least played somewhat sympathetic. You do get some good background from this episode, but it either has been or will be covered better in other episodes, so this one is skippable.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><b>General Thoughts:</b> None of these four episodes are really standouts, and even though “Signs and Portents” is important to the overall story, that is not fully apparent at this early point in the series. That episode plays much better on re-watch because you appreciate how well JMS was setting up the story arc to come. And all of these episodes have some development points, however minor, but not enough to really grab the audience. The dialog remains stilted (especially among the human characters) which is further hampered by the stiff directing, so I can understand where someone who has watched Babylon 5 up to this point (and does not quite understand what is coming) might not be overly impressed with the show. But things will start to kick into gear later in the first season and then really start rolling in the show’s second year. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><b>Interesting Fact:</b> The tentacle used for the Na'ka'leen Feeder was re-used in an episode of <b><i>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</i></b> because both shows had the same make-up effects company.</span></span><br />
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<b>Babylon 5 on DVD from Amazon.com:</b><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-14248144630659591242016-11-30T16:41:00.001-06:002016-11-30T16:42:22.452-06:00Audiobook Review: Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_oB4Qoeysvq4OXf32kKLeQokZZWrZ2JYlyJ36tz35opkHDNBQEHH39_o4udofeQnOX7OSfxntT5yH7hz3ZmG8yaetq00HlewKmqQZjEMkINb5kKvygktuOK0kUKbpnqMZb_OJ1A60D5L/s1600/snow-crash-audiobook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_oB4Qoeysvq4OXf32kKLeQokZZWrZ2JYlyJ36tz35opkHDNBQEHH39_o4udofeQnOX7OSfxntT5yH7hz3ZmG8yaetq00HlewKmqQZjEMkINb5kKvygktuOK0kUKbpnqMZb_OJ1A60D5L/s1600/snow-crash-audiobook.jpg" /></a></div>
<b>Book Rating:</b> 3 ½ out of 5 Stars<br />
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<b>Audiobook Rating:</b> 4 out of 5 Stars<br />
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<b>Bottom Line:</b> Snarky and satirical, this book offers a deconstruction of America and an interesting philosophical connection between language, religion, and computers.<br />
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<b><i>Snow Crash</i></b> is a sci fi / cyberpunk novel (also referred to as post-cyberpunk, but I have no idea what the means) by Neal Stephenson. It takes place in a near-future dystopia where the U.S. government has become mostly ineffectual and the country has descended into a state of anarcho-capitalism with business franchises such as Uncle Enzo’s Pizza, Reverend Wayne’s Pearly Gates, and Mr. Lee’s Greater Hong Kong holding much of the power. Hiro Protagonist—a hacker/pizza delivery driver—and his skateboard courier friend Y.T. find themselves involved in a plot to use an ancient neuro-linguistic “virus” that has been converted into both a biological and computer virus to control the vast majority of the country’s population. <br />
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<b><i>Snow Crash</i></b> is an interesting and often acidly-humorous book that mulls on some pretty heady concepts, but I’m not quite sure that I would count it as a <i>great</i> sci fi novel. A <i>very good</i> one, but maybe not great (and I am sure there are plenty of angry mega-fans jumping on their planks and sharpening their swords to head my way right about now). The book introduces (to me at least) some interesting ideas linking language, religion, viruses, and computers. It all sounds quite neat, but I’m not sure I quite buy into it. It does present some interesting what-if scenarios as far as the way language relates to the mind, even if they may not really play out the way the book suggests. <br />
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The book has a very frenetic pace to it which can be relentless at times and makes it not one of the best candidates for an audiobook adaptation. This is one that would likely work better reading from the printed page because it is easier to go back and read over things you might have missed in the jumble. But then there are also times when the book slows down and becomes very talky. Some may feel this throws the pace off, but I particularly liked these parts because this in when the history behind the book’s grander ideas is explained. As a history buff, I love that sort of stuff, but others may find it too boring. <br />
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The book is not strong on character development and seems to do what it wants with its characters at different times. For example, how exactly did Hiro become such a badass if the majority of his sword-fighting experience came from the virtual world of the metaverse? But it is still a decent read and I can see where cyberpunk (and Anime) fans see this as a great genre entry. Its satirical deconstruction of America can be quite biting at times, and there was more than once that I was laughing out loud at some of the book’s better lines. It also acts as a precursor of sorts to <b><i>Ready Player One</i></b> with its metaverse which is a protoversion of that book’s OASIS virtual reality. And considering that it was written in 1992, it is definitely quite prescient in respect to how computers, the internet, cell phones, and other technology would progress from that point.<br />
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As for the audiobook version, Jonathan Davis provides the narration and his Casey Casem-like voice at first does not seem like a good fit for the book’s snarky prose. But that feeling passes pretty quickly and he does a mostly excellent job with the dialog (even if he does slip in and out of character at times). The production throws in some additional sound effects, though I would not count this as an enhanced audio. But that does add some atmosphere to a story that is somewhat challenging to adapt to audiobook. Overall, <b><i>Snow Crash</i></b> is a good book with an audio rendering that is as good as can be expected and it is definitely worth checking out even if it doesn’t necessarily count as a must-read.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100129770898835647.post-74301610250494123252016-11-02T08:46:00.001-05:002016-11-02T08:46:14.445-05:00Sci Fi TV Quick Hits: Agents of SHIELD, The Exorcist, Westworld, Channel Zero and More Are Among This Season's Standouts So Far<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Before getting to my rundown of the Fall shows I have been watching so far, I have to say something first: I’m calling a <em>time out!</em> There is just <em>too much</em> sci fi to watch on TV these days, and surprisingly a lot of it has gotten really good. Over the past few seasons, I could pass over a lot of shows because of the high levels of mediocrity I was seeing. But I have been much more impressed than usual with what I have seen thus far this season and even find myself going back to shows I had given up on. This is really cutting into my plans for the <em><strong>Babylon 5</strong></em> <a href="http://wp.me/p7570t-iA">re-watch</a>, and I’m not sure how I’m going to fit everything into the week. I’m sure I will slack off on some of these before too long just because of time constraints, but for now here are my thoughts on what I have been watching so far (sorted by those I have enjoyed the most to the least):<br />
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<em><strong>Agents of SHIELD</strong></em> (ABC): I tuned in to the first episode of this show’s fourth season just because I was curious what they would do with Ghost Rider, and then found myself hooked on it again. I liked this one when it first started, but then it seemed to start treading water about mid-way through its first season. It went darker in its second year and gave in far too often to copy and paste and I bailed on the show. But its fourth season has been really good so far. The witty dialog that we saw early on with the show has returned and the actors all seem have grown with their roles. There is a particularly good chemistry between Coulson and Mack, and the show could keep most of its focus on those two for my money. Plus they have done a good job with the Ghost Rider character as well even if the CGI is a bit cheesy. For now, this one is on my must-watch list each week.<br />
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<em><strong>The Exorcist</strong></em> (FOX): This revival of the infamous 1970’s horror film (which actually acts as a sequel to that movie) is doing everything that A&E’s <em><strong>Damien</strong></em> (a sequel series to 1976’s <em><strong>The Omen</strong></em>) did not. Whereas that one quickly derailed with a mopey, EMO lead, <em><strong>The Exorcist</strong></em> is creepy and scary and has interesting characters with a decent storyline. Anybody who had doubts about this revival should put those aside and tune in, because this show has exceeded all expectations at this point. I’m hoping that the first year has a resolution to its story arc, though, because the ratings suggest that this one could be gone by as soon as mid-season.<br />
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<em><strong>Westworld</strong></em> (HBO): This show has been good so far across its first four episodes and has done an interesting take on the original premise from the movie. Once again, we have androids malfunctioning (I don’t think that counts as much of a spoiler), but it is following a different path as it appears to be related to them developing self-awareness. The only problem is that the story is unfolding at an almost glacial pace and there may be too many storylines going on. But it is sticking to its sci fi elements and could go on to be genre classic if it success in unlocking its potential.<br />
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<em><strong>Channel Zero</strong></em> (Syfy): I’m two episodes in on this season-long horror anthology based on the internet "creepy pasta" stories, and I’m really liking it. It is creepy and moody and has an interesting storyline. And it will wrap up after six episodes, so it does not require as large of a commitment (an important factor in the overload of the Too-Much-TV-Era). Some may be hesitant to check this one out because it veers away from Syfy’s return to science fiction, but like the network’s <em><strong>The Magicians</strong></em>, it is a very good genre entry and worth a look.<br />
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<em><strong>Aftermath</strong></em> (Syfy): I stumbled upon this supernatural-pocalypse series when I stuck around for its third episode which followed the premiere of <em><strong>Channel Zero</strong></em> (because there wasn’t a new ep of <em><strong>Adam Ruins Everything</strong></em> that night). I went in with low expectations, but found it much better than it had any right to be and went back to catch up on the first two episodes. Consider it a mix of <em><strong>Supernatural</strong></em> and <em><strong>The Walking Dead</strong></em>, but it treads that path without feeling too derivative and with a minimal of copy and paste. It also keeps the expected teen angst from dominating the family dynamic, which is a good thing. This is the type of show that could go south pretty quickly, but for now I am liking it.<br />
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<em><strong>Legends of Tomorrow</strong></em> (CW): After two episodes, the soft reboot this show is going through in its second season seems to be correcting many of the issues from the first season. Most importantly, it’s not just straight copy and paste anymore and the storyline they have introduced seems interesting. We will see how it proceeds from here, but I am back onboard for now.<br />
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<em><strong>The Flash</strong></em> (CW): I have only seen the premiere episode so far, but it is off to a solid start. This show has been the most fun of The CW’s superhero entries and I’m thinking it is still worth keeping an eye on.<br />
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<em><strong>Freakish</strong></em> (Hulu): The first storyline in Hulu’s new season-long anthology series mixes <em><strong>The Walking Dead</strong></em> with teen horror movie, but is proving better at that than I might have thought based on its first two episodes. It has delivered a minimum of teen angst thus far, nor has it digressed into the expected YA soap opera plots. Probably because it is only a half hour per episode, they are keeping it as lean as possible. And while I wouldn’t call this a great show thus far, it has exceeded expectations and only has four more hours to go, so I may stick with it.<br />
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<em><strong>Lucifer</strong></em> (FOX): I really want to like this show because Tom Ellis does such a good job as the title character and there’s plenty of potential with the premise. But they insist on keeping the procedural format which I thought they might back away from this season with the new character introductions. But alas, that change is apparently not in the cards. I like Tricia Helfer as Lucifer’s mom and look forward to Michael Imperioli’s intro as his brother, but I will probably only check on this one from time to time throughout the season.<br />
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<em><strong>Timeless</strong></em> (NBC): The first episode of this time travel series was pretty good even if it broke its own rules as most time travel shows do. (They are told not to change anything in the past not already changed, but they do it anyway.) This kind of reminds me of the 60’s <em><strong>Time Tunnel</strong></em> series, though better (but not better than the 2006 attempted reboot of that Irwin Allen entry, more on that <a href="http://wp.me/p4aGRF-2wu">at this link</a>). And this is the type of show that I would definitely watch if there were not so many other sci fi entries on the air. I might check in on this one from time to time (no pun intended), but I don’t consider it a must-watch show.<br />
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<em><strong>Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency</strong></em> (BBC America): I have to admit that I am not a big fan of the <em><strong>Dirk Gently</strong></em> books (though I love Douglas Adams’ <em><strong>Hitchhiker’s Guide</strong></em> series), but I still had high hopes for this show. And Samuel Barnett does a great job in the title role as does Elijah Wood as the unwilling tag-along to the detective’s adventures. But it is a shame that is wasted on a senseless mess of the script that neither draws from the books nor does much to make the show interesting. And it’s definitely not funny. If I hear people saying that this one improves through its first season run, maybe I will check back in. But for now, I am out.<br />
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<em><strong>The Good Place</strong></em> (NBC): This sitcom set in the afterworld seemed like a hard sell from the beginning. But the first episode made a stab at some Tim Burton-esque (the <em>good</em> Tim Burton) visuals and could have really run with that. But it fell flat more often than not and seems to be wasting the talents of its leads Ted Danson and Kristen Bell, and it doesn’t help that the concept does not seem designed well enough to sustain an ongoing series. I bailed on this one after the first episode and don’t plan on going back.</div>
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